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Section 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2009  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/historicalsketOOsmit 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES 


AND 


'^V  29  1920 


INCIDENTS, 


ILLUSTRATIVE  OP  THE 


ESTABLISHMENT  AND  PROGRESS  OF 


UNIVERSAL  ISM 


IN  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 


BY  S.   R/SMITH. 


BUFFALO: 
Steele's    press. 

1843.' 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1843,  by 
Stephen  R.  Smith,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of 
the  Northern  District  of  New  York. 


* 


PREFACE. 


The  work  herewith  presented  to  the  public,  originated 
in  the  request  of  one  of  our  many  Editors  of  religious  pa- 
pers, for  a  series  of  articles  in  some  way  connected  with 
the  progress  of  Universalism.  The  suggestion  gave  rise 
to  the  preparation  of  several  incidents  arranged  in  the 
order  of  time  in  which  they  occurred-=-and  these  again  in- 
duced the  addition  of  the  historic  sketches  embodied  in 
the  following  pages. 

The  consideration  that  the  time  was  rapidly  approach- 
ing when  many  of  the  facts  here  recorded,  would  be  for- 
gotten— that  the  time  of  our  denominational  infancy,  and 
weakness,  and  reproach,  was  passing  away  forever — and 
that  the  very  names  of  several  devoted  ministers  would 
soon  cease  to  be  known  save  by  their  personal  friends- 
seemed  to  demand  some  similar  undertaking.  But  by 
whom  should  it  be  performed  ?  Death  had  long  since  re- 
moved  some,  others   had  settled  in   other  and    distant 


IV  PREFACE. 

states — and  none  except  the  writer  remained,  who  would 
probably  ever  perform  the  work.  It  is  therefore  offered  to 
the  pubUc,  and  especially  to  the  denomination,  instead 
of  a  better  from  more  competent  hands. 

No  pretensions  are  made  to  a  full  and  adequate  history 
of  Universalism  in  the  state  of  New  York.  The  bio- 
graphical notices,  so  far  from  being  intended  to  be  cir- 
cumstantial— are  merely  designed  to  give  an  idea  of  the 
times  and  position  of  the  men.  And  whether  living  or 
dead,  the  author  has  spoken  of  them  as  the  public  es- 
teemed them—or  as  he  knew  them. 

The  author  makes  no  apology  for  obtruding  himself  so 
often  upon  the  reader's  notice.  He  only  regrets,  that  he 
had  not  the  ability  to  keep  himself  wholly  out  of  sight, 
in  the  relation  of  facts  in  which  he  has  been  a  constant 
actor  for  more  than  ihirty  years. 

It  will  be  perceived  that  the  present  little  volume  in- 
cludes but  a  small  portion  of  our  progress  as  a  denomina- 
tion. Should  the  time  and  health  of  the  writer  permit, 
and  other  circumstances  seem  to  require,  the  same  gene- 
ral plan  will  be  followed  in  farther  attempts  to  supply 
what  is  here  omitted. 

That  the  past  progress  of  what  is  believed  to  be  the 
cause  of  truth,  may  be  the  pledge  of  its  future  triumph, 
is  the  earnest  prayer  and  confident  hope  of 

S.  R.  SMITH. 

Buffalo^  August,  1843. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 


That  the  doctrine  of  the  final  hoHness  and 
happiness  of  all  mankind,  was  occasionally 
preached  in  the  city  of  New  York,  from,  and 
after  the  year  1770,  appears  from  the  biog- 
raphy of  Rev.  John  Murray;  who,  though 
not  the  first  public  advocate  of  the  restitu- 
tion on  the  (Continent,  may  yet  be  considered 
the  father  of  universalism  in  America.  But 
the  engrossing  and  exciting  aflfairs  of  the 
Revolution,  and  the  deep  subsequent  in- 
terest felt  by  all  classes  in  the  establishment 
of  the  new  government,  prevented  for  a 
time,  the  advancement  of  this  great  doctrine 
in  the  public  mind.  The  "  bread  of  life"  had 
indeed  been  cast  upon  the  waters  when  they 
were  greatly  troubled;  but  it  was  not  lost. 
And  after  a  quarter  of  a  century  had  passed 
away,  successful    endeavors   were  made  for 

1* 


b  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES. 

the  establishment  of  UniversaHsm  in  that 
city.  A  small  congregation  was  finally 
gathered,  which  under  the  ministry  of  the 
late  Mr.  Edward  Mitchel,  occupied  for  sev- 
eral yearSj  a  building  in  Pearl-street — but 
eventually  located  and  built  the  large  brick 
church,  corner  of  Duane-street  and  City 
Hall  Place. 

To  this  congregation,  Mr.  Mitchel  con- 
tinued to  minister  in  a  very  acceptable  man- 
ner, during  his  life.  He  was  generally  es- 
teemed for  the  goodness  of  his  heart,  and  the 
manliness  and  frankness  with  which  he 
avowed  his  sentiments.  By  his  friends,  he 
was  considered  eloquent — and  .  he  was  be- 
yond doubt,  capable  of  expressing  his  views 
with  great  fluency  and  efl?ect.  With  strong 
feelingv«i  and  ardent  attachments,  he  was  em- 
phatically a  bigot  to  his  own  opinions;  and 
this  distinctive  feature  of  his  character,  ren- 
dered him  in  the  pulpit,  occasionally  dogmat- 
ical and  censorious.  Like  Mr.  Murray,  he 
was  a  Sabellian — and  quite  orthodox  in  the 
usual  sense  of  that  term,  in  nearly  every 
thing  else,  except  the  doctrine  of  the  resti- 
tution.    But  while  his  charities  extended  in 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  7 

ample  expressions  of  kindness  and  courtesy 
to  all  classes  of  trinitarian  christians,  he 
made  little  pretension  to  any  for  Unitarian 
Universalists.  These  he  repelled,  and  rep- 
robated in  no  measured  terms;  and  won 
both  his  hearers  and  the  converts  to  his  faith, 
principally  from  the  ranks  of  those  who  like 
himself,  had  little  sympathy  for  the  denom- 
ination. 

It  will  be  inferred,  that  Mr.  Mitchel  never 
identified  himself  with  Universalists  as  a  fel- 
low-laborer. On  the  contrary,  he  disclaim- 
ed all  connexion  with — all  fellowship  for 
them,  in  the  most  explicit  terms.  For  many 
years,  he,  and  his  respectable  congregation 
stood  apart  from  all  fraternity  with  the  reli- 
gious world  around  them;  sustaining  them- 
selves reputably,  and  gradually  increasing  in 
number,  influence  and  resources.  Thev  have 
the  merit  of  makin.c^  the  first  favorable  im- 
pression  upon  the  public  mind  respecting  the 
great  doctrine  of  the  restitution;  and  of  lay- 
ing the  foundation  of  truth  deep  and  endur- 
ing, in  many  hearts,  in  the  city  of  New 
York.  Since  the  death  of  Mr.  Mitchel  in 
1827,  his  congregation   after   several  unsuc- 


8  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

cessful  efforts  to  preserve  its  identity,  has 
broken  up;  and  many  of  its  members  have 
united  with  the  more  recent  Universal- 
ist  churches  in  that  city,  entertaining  the 
views  and  holding  the  felloAvship  of  the  de- 
nomination. 

CENTRAL    NEAV  YORK. 

It  was  not  until  1802,  that  Universalism 
was  preached  in  the  state  of  New  York,  be- 
yond the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  city — 
unless  perhaps,  in  some  of  the  towns  border- 
ing on  Vermont.  In  the  summer  of  this 
year,  Mr.  Edwin  Ferris — a  plain  man  of 
Quaker  habits,  but  of  very  good  common 
sense,  visited  what  is  now  the  town  of  But- 
ternuts, Otsego  County,  and  delivered  to  the 
few  and  scattered  inhabitants,  the  message 
of  Universal  salvation.  In  the  following 
year,  he  removed  his  family  from  New  Eng- 
land and  settled  in  that  town — continuing  his 
ministry  there,  and  in  the  neighboring  set- 
tlements. It  is  probable  that  Mr.  Ferris 
never  wholly  devoted  his  attention  and  his 
labors  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  He  ap- 
pears in  the  first  instance,  to  have  entertain- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  9 

ed  some  prejudices  against  receiving  what  is 
called  '  ministerial  support;'  and  it  is  certain 
that  the  general  circumstances  of  the  recent 
population  were  favorable  to  the  gratification 
of  his  choice  in  this  particular.  Much  of 
his  time  was  therefore  spent  in  the  improve- 
ment and  cultivation  of  a  farm;  though  he 
seldom  suffered  his  secular  avocations  to 
prevent  an  attendance  on  his  ministerial  du- 
ties. And  in  addition  to  his  services  on  Sun- 
day, he  was  often  called  to  tender  the  con- 
solations of  the  gospel  to  mourners,  on  fu- 
neral occasions.  At  this  time,  and  during 
many  succeeding  years,  whatever  may  have 
been  the  peculiarities  or  prejudices  of  Mr. 
Ferris,  he  faithfully  devoted  his  talents  to  the 
interests  and  advancement  of  UniversaHsm 
— cheerfully  enduring  the  ignominy  and  re- 
proach of  its  profession,  and  rejoicing  in  its 
triumphs.  He  entertained  high  and  just 
views  of  the  necessity  of  an  elevated  moral- 
ity in  the  professors  of  religion-^and  espe- 
cially in  the  nrofessors  of  Univcrsalism. — 
And  he  was  among  those  who  saw  and  felt 
the  necessity  and  propriety  of  a  sound  sys- 
tem of  discipline — and    was  vigilant  to  fasti- 


10  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

diousness,  of  what  he  deemed  the  rights  of 
the  laity,  and  of  individual  congregations. 
His  policy  appears  to  have  been,  to  restrict 
the  power  of  ecclesiastical  bodies,  to  subject 
ministers  to  well  defined  rules  of  discipline, 
and  to  leave  societies  to  the  management  of 
their  own  concerns. 

In  the  summer  of  1804,  Mr.  Miles  T. 
Wooley,  located  in  the  town  of  Hartwick, 
Otsego  Co. — in  the  neio^hborhood  of  Mr. 
Ferris,  where  he  also  commenced  preaching 
the  restitution.  This  seems  to  have  been  a  fa- 
vorable location;  and  had  the  capabilities  and 
worth  of  the  preacher  been  equal  to  his  ad- 
vantages of  place,  the  best  results  would 
have  been  reahzed.  A  successful  attempt 
was  made  to  form  a  society  in  this  town, 
sometime  in  March  1803;  and  it  is  believed, 
that  a  constitution  war.  adopted  and  subscri- 
bed by  about  tweiity-five  members.  This  was 
undoubtedly  the  first  Universalist  society, 
organized  in  the  state  of  New  York.  But 
the  eccentricities  and  immoralities  of  Mr. 
Wooley  prevented  his  usefulness,  and  must 
have  had  an  injurious  effect  upon  the  society. 
He  was  suspended  from  the  fellowship  of  the 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  11 

order,  on  the  first  organization  of  a  proper 
council;  and  formally  expelled  in  June  of 
the  following  year. 

In  1805,  Mr.  Nathaniel  Stacy — a  good 
man,  and  a  most  faithful,  persevering  and  de- 
voted minister,  visited  and  preached  in  parts 
of  Oneida,  Madison,  Otsego  and  Chenango 
Counties;  and  in  the  course  of  the  season, 
societies  were  formed  in  Whitestowii,  (now 
New  Hartford,)  Hamilton  and  Brookfield. 
From  this  time,  the  aftairs  of  the  infant  de- 
nomination assumed  an  aspect  of  order;  and 
early  measures  were  taken  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  system  of  discipline  and  church 
government.  In  July  of  this  year,  appeared 
the  germ  of  the  Western,  (now  Central,) 
Association  of  Universalists  in  the  state  of 
New  York,  in  a  public  conference  held  at 
Burlington,  Otsego  County.  This  confer- 
ence was  attended  by  the  three  preachers  al- 
ready named,  and  by  two  or  more  lay  dele- 
gates from  each  of  the  respective  societies. 
The  conference  resolved,  that  it  was  expe- 
dient to  form  an  Association,  and  that  appli- 
cation be  made  to  the  ^'  General  Convention 
of  Universalists"  in  New  England  at  its  ap- 


12  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

proaching  session,  for  aid  and  counsel,  to  en- 
able them  to  carry  said  resolution  into  effect. 
In  September  following,  a  committee  of  that 
body,  was  appointed,  to  attend  and  assist  in 
the  organization  of  the  contemplated  associ- 
ation. This  Committee  attended  according- 
ly, and  the  ''  Western  Association  of 
Universalists"  was  duly  organized  on 
Wednesday  the  5th  day  of  June,  1806,  in 
the  town  of  Columbus,  Chenango  County, 
New  York.  The  societies  in  Hartwick, 
Whitestown,  Hamilton  and  Brookfield,  by 
their  delegates  and  preachers,  constituted  the 
Association;  and  a  society  in  Stamford,  Del- 
aware County,  was  received  into  fellowship 
during  the  session. 

During  the  early  times  of  the  Association, 
it  was  the  friendly  practice — and  a  good  one 
it  was,  for  the  General  Convention  to  send  a 
Committee  of  its  body,  to  visit  its  respective 
sessions.  Singular  or  incredible  as  this  may 
now  seem — such  committees  were  most 
punctual  in  their  attendance,  even  when 
forced  to  travel  in  no  very  commodious  man- 
ner, and  at  their  own  expense,  some  two  or 
three   hundred   miles.      And  yet   this  was 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES.  13 

done  as  a  matter  of  course,  from  year  to 
year;  and  often  by  the  same  individuals. — 
Sucli  labors  and  sacrifices  are  neither  under- 
stood nor  appreciated  by  the  masses  of  so- 
ciety. Indeed,  when  performed  as  in  this 
instance,  by  the  advocates  of  an  unpopular 
system  of  religion — it  frequently  happens 
that  so  far  from  being  considered  meritori- 
ous, they  are  regarded  and  treated  as  only 
worlhy  of  execration.  And  the  very  things, 
which  if  done  for  the  advancement  of  some 
popular  scheme,  would  have  excited  the  sur- 
prise and  admiration  of  all  classes,  are  gen- 
erally esteemed  as  the  empty  and  idle  ma- 
noeuvres of  desperate  men,  for  the  purpose 
of  spreading  imposture  and  falsehood.  Such 
has  been  the  fate  of  nearly  all  the  reformers 
who  have  labored  and  suffered  in  the  cause 
of  humanity — and  such,  it  will  probably  con- 
tinue to  be,  until  men  shall  cease  to  be  gov- 
erned by  their  interests  and  prejudices,rather 
than  by  candor  and  common  sense.  But 
He,  who  has  made  time  the  instrument  of 
correcting  many  errors,  and  who  by  its  ope- 
ration has  vindicated  successive  reformers — 
will  vindicate  the  men  who  like  them  oppo- 
2 


14  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

sed  prevailing  corruptioD  and  preached  a  pur- 
er gospel. 

The  session  of  the  ''  Western  Associa- 
tion," was  held  in  1807,  in  the  village  of  N. 
Hartford,  Oneida  Co.,  and  appears  to  have 
been  one,  from  which  the  friends  drew  much 
encouragement.  As  on  the  preceding  year, 
several  of  the  most  influential  members  of 
the  General  Convention,  attended;  and  the 
business  of  the  council,  and  also  the  public 
services,  were  so  conducted,  as  to  make  a 
very  favorable  impression  on  the  public 
mind. 

During  this  session,  a  Constitution  and  Pro- 
fession of  Faith,  were  reported  and  adopted. 
This  Constitution  prescribed  the  limits  of  the 
Association — ample  enough,  as  they  included 
the  entire  portion  of  the  state  of  New  York 
lying  west  of  the  Hudson  River.  This  vast 
tract  of  country,  did  not  however  at  the 
time,  reckon  among  its  population  500  pro- 
fessed Universalists.  The  profession  of  faith 
was  the  same  as  had  been  previously  adopt- 
ed by  the  General  Convention,  and  compri- 
ses the  belief — "  In  one  God,  whose  nature 
is  love,  one   Lord   Jesus   Christ,  who  gave 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES.  15 

himself  a  ransom  for  all  men — and  one  Holy 
Spirit  of  grace,  which  will  finally  sanctify 
and  save  all  mankind.  That  the  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  contain  a 
revelation  of  the  character  and  will  of  God; 
and  of  the  duty,  interest  and  destiny  of  the 
human  race.  And  that  believers  ought  to 
maintain  order  and  })ractice  good  works  be- 
cause these  things  arc  good  and  profitable  to 
men.''  This  profession  of  faith  had  alread}^ 
been  adopted  by  the  few  organized  churches 
of  the  order;  and  has  very  generally  been 
made  the  basis  of  the  church  compacts  and 
formulas  of  faith  existing  in  the  denomina- 
tion. 

The  original  organization  of  the  society 
in  Whitestown,  appears  to  have  been  under 
a  Confession  of  Faith  and  Covenant,  which 
constitutcG  its  members  a  christian  church. 
The  constitution,  or  by-laws  which  it  ap- 
pended, provided  accordingly  for  the  regular 
administration  of  the  ordinances — and  the 
Eucharist  or  Lord's  Supper,  was  usually  ad- 
ministered once  in  three  months,  when  the 
society  had  a  pastor.  Baptism  by  affusion 
or  immersion,  was  sometimes  chosen  by  can- 


16  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

didates,  either  because  they  had  not  previ- 
ously received  it,  or  because  some  particular 
mode  was  preferred.  And  whenever  desir- 
ed, it  was  administered  in  the  form  pointed 
out  by  the  candidate.  A  similar,  if  not  the 
same  compact  was  adopted  by  the  society 
in  Hamilton;  and  probably  by  all — at  least 
nearly  all  the  earlier  organized  societies  in 
the  state.  So  that  nothing  could  be  more 
slanderous  than  the  oft  repeated  assertion  of 
the  enemies  of  the  restitution,  that  ''  Uni- 
versalists  had  neither  churches  nor  ordinan- 
ces." They  had  both,  from  their  first  estab- 
lishment in  central  New  York;  and  continue 
to  have  them,  in  almost  every  place  where 
the  circumstances  of  the  congregation  w}[\ 
warrant  similar  organizations. 

There  is  one  distinctive  and  benevolent 
feature  in  the  constitution  of  Universalist 
societies — which  if  not  peculiar  to  the  de- 
nomination, is  probably  not  generally  known 
— certainly  jiot  by  other  sects.  It  is  a  pro- 
vision for  the  poor..  And  so  faithfully  is  this 
pledge  redeemed,  that  very  few  instances 
can  be  found  in  which  destitute  Universalists 
have  been  thrown  upon  the  public  charities. 


HISTORICAL    SKKTCIIES  17 

This  regulation  may  not  be  adopted  in  every 
congregation — but  as  it  was  an  important 
particular  in  all  the  older  societies,  whose 
compacts  gave  tone  and  form  to  others,  it  is 
probably  the  general  rule  with  the  denomi- 
nation in  New  York.  And  it  is  certainly  de- 
sirable that  it  should  become  universal,  even 
though  circumstances  have  neither  rendered 
it  necessary  in  every  instance,  nor  human 
foresight  provided  for  the  contingency.  The 
instances  in  which  the  blessings  of  this  sin- 
gle provision,  have  been  tested,  are  happily 
few.  But  these  have  shown  that  small  do- 
nations when  accompanied  with  advice  and 
encouragement,  was  sufficient  to  preserve 
even  the  sick  and  indigent  from  despondency 
and  degradation. 

And  it  may  not  be  improper,  to  view  such 
social  provision  in  the  light  of  example — and 
to  estimate  the  sum  of  comfort  which  may 
be  diffused  over  the  christian  world  by  its 
general  adoption.  It  is  vain  to  say  that  man- 
kind will  refuse  to  learn  from  those  they  dis- 
like. They  never  dislike  a  known  good;  and 
if  Universalists  practically  carry  out  a  be- 
nevolent regulation — others  will  at  least  pro- 
fit by  their  example.  2* 


18  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

It  does  not  appear  that  any  additional  so- 
cieties were  received  into  fellowship  at  this 
session — and  it  is  fair  to  presume  that  none 
had  been  formed  in  the  state  during  the  pre- 
ceding year.  But  it  should  not  therefore  be 
inferred  that  Universalism  had  made  no  pro- 
gress. It  had  been  preached  in  many  places 
to  good  congregations,  during  that  time;  and 
had  found  a  favorable  reception  in  many 
minds  which  yet  waited  to  learn  "■  the  way 
of  the  Lord  more  perfectly."  It  w^as  not  in 
the  nature  of  things,  that  the  labors  of  the 
indefatigable  Stacy,  should  prove  fruitlesSr 
He  had  now  been  located  in  this  part  of  the 
state,  for  some  two  years — several  societies 
had  organized  during  his  first  temporary 
visit;  and  he  had  since  searched  out  and 
preached  in  every  accessible  neighborhood. 
His  unpretending  manners,  his  devout  sincer- 
ity, his  untiring  but  temperate  zeal,  his  un- 
compromising fidelity  and  christian  charity, 
not  only  made  him  a  favorite  among  the  lib- 
eral minded  by  whom  he  was  greatly  es- 
teemed— but  won  for  him  the  respect  of  can- 
did opposers,  and  sometimes  divested  even 
bigotry  itself  of  half  its  exclusiveness.      A 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  19 

« 

number  of  respectable  congregations  had 
been  gathered  by  his  labors;  and  the  same, 
and  probably  equal  influences  had  been  ex- 
erted, as  would  have  been,  under  a  more 
formal  organization.  The  principal,  if  not 
the  only  difference  in  result,  was,  that  the 
Association  was  not  aware  of  its  actual 
strength. 

1808.  The  Association  met  this  vear  in 
Hartwick,  Otsego  Co. — and  without  receiv- 
ing any  accession  of  societies,  appears  to 
have  derived  encouragement  from  other  con- 
siderations. Among  these,  should  most  prob- 
ably be  reckoned,  the  settlement  of  an  addi- 
tional minister  in  the  town  where  the  session 
was  held.  For  hope  was  then  young,  and 
numbers  were  counted  strength.  Mr.  James 
Babbitt  had  ah'eady — or  soon  after  the  meet- 
ing of  the  association,  located  in  Hartwick; 
but  subsequently,  after  some  two  or  three 
years  of  profitless  labors,  he  removed  from 
that  res^ion  of  the  state. 

It  had  been  the  custom  of  the  members  of 
the  General  Convention  who  in  the  charac- 
ter of  a  committee,  annually  attended  the 
meetings  of  the  Association,  to  remain  and 


20  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

preach  in  the  vicinity;  and  thus  to  aid  the 
few  laborers  already  in  the  country.     These 
services  were  of  great  importance — as  they 
were  performed  by  men  in  most  instances, 
who  stood  high  in  the  denomination;  and  be- 
ing strangers,  their  reputation  secured  large 
audiences,  among  which  were    many  oppos- 
ers  who  would  not  condescend  to  be  hearers 
on    ordinary     occasions.      That    by  these 
means,many  prejudices  were  removed,as  well 
as  many  converts  made, to  the  doctrine  of  the 
restitution,  is  unquestionable.     And  although 
societies  did  not  immediately  spring  up,  and 
a  visible  augmentation  of  numbers  and  influ- 
ence follow;  it  is  certain  that    the  elements 
of  eternal   truth    were    imbibed    by   many 
minds,  and  its  influence  felt  in  the  hearts  of 
thousands.     In   the  process   of  a  few  years, 
these   germs  developed   themselves   in    the 
formation  of  permanent  societies,  the  estab- 
lishment of  churches,  and   the    support  of  a 
regular  ministry. 

It  was  during  one  of  these  annual  visita- 
tions, that  the  writer  of  these  pages,  heard 
for  the  first  time,  the  message  of  universal 
grace.      By    what   means   the   intelligence 


HISTORICAL  v««KETCIIES.  21 

that  Mr.  Hosea  Baliou  would  preach  on  the 
following    Sunday,    in    a  place  some   fifteen 
miles  distant,  could  have  been  conveyed  to  a 
very  young  man,   who  did   not  then  know  a 
single  Universalist  in    the   world,  is    not  re- 
membered.    He  went  however,  and  heard  a 
discourse  in  the  morning,  from  Zech.  6:   13 
— and  for. the   first  time  in   his    life,  felt  that 
he  had  listened  to  a  sermon    that  neither  in- 
volved an  absurdity  nor  a  contradiction.  The 
congregation  was  not  large,  and  occupied  a 
school  house  in  the    present  city  of  Utica — 
then  a  meagre  and  muddy  village.     A  larger 
congregation  was   anticipated  in    the  after- 
noon, and  arrangements   were  made  for  the 
service    in    the    open  air,  under   some  trees, 
on  the  bank  of  the  Mohawk  River.     There 
in  due  time,  a  large  auditory  assembled;  and 
listened  to  one  of  Mr.  Bailou's  best  discour- 
ses from    Deut.    33:  part  of  16th  with  the 
17th  ver.     It  was    a  glorious   day,  early  in 
June — the  silence  of  Sunday  was  around  us 
— the  bright  blue  heavens   above  us,  partly 
veiled  by  the  branches  of  a  few  scattering 
oaks — the  clear,  quiet  river  at  our  side — the 
ruddy  and  healthy  preacher  in  all  the  vigor 


22  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

of  manhood  before  us,  and  pleading  tiie 
cause  of  God  and  humanit}"  with  a  group  of 
most  attentive  hearers.  Such  a  scene  is  not 
to  be  forgotten;  and  ahogether.  it  was  one 
in  every  respect  calculated  to  make  the  most 
favorable,  as  well  as  lasting  impressions. — 
And  such  certainly  were  its  effects  on  the 
mind  of  the  writer.  For  while  it  left  him 
without  any  pretension  to  the  knowledge  or 
behef  of  Universalism,  as  a  system  of  reli- 
gious truth — it  entirely  satisfied  him  that  it 
was  consistent  with  itself,  and  with  all  that 
w^e  see  and  know  of  the  Deity  and  his  moral 
government.  It  is  scarcely  to  be  doubted, 
that  similar  impressions  were  made  on  many 
persons  in  that  congregation. 

1809.  The  session  of  the  Western  Asso- 
ciation was  held  this  year  in  Norwich,  Che- 
nongo  County;  and  as  usual,  was  attended 
by  a  delegation  from  the  General  Conven- 
tion. Two  societies  were  received  into  fel- 
■lowship,  viz.  one  in  Ballston,  Saratoga  Co., 
and  one  in  Jericho,  (now  Bainbridge,)  Che- 
nango Co.  The  former  of  these,  has  long 
since  lost  its  identity,  and  merged  in  neigh- 
boring  societies.     The    latter   has    attained 


HISTORICAL  t?KETCHKS.  23 

that  place  and  exerts  that  influence,  which  is 
the  just  reward  of  becoming  zeal  and  fideli- 
ity;  and  has  usually  enjoyed  a  moderate  de- 
gree of  prosperity. 

Application  was  also  made  at  this  session 
by  Mr.  William  Baker,  for  a  letter  of  fel- 
lowship as  a  minister  of  the  reconciliation.  He 
was  then  a  preacher  in  the  Methodist  con- 
nection— probably,  what  is  termed  a  ''  local 
preacher."  The  committee,  to  whom  his  re- 
quest was  submitted,  reported  "  that  his  re- 
quest be  granted  when  he  shall  obtain  a  let- 
ter of  dismission  from  the  Methodist  denom- 
ination." And  the  Moderator  was  instruct- 
ed to  grant  the  fellowship  of  the  Association, 
whenever  said  letter  of  dismission  was  ob- 
tained, in  the  course  of  the  current  year. — 
The  letter  was  obtained,  and  the  fellowship 
2:ranted  accojdindv  at  the  session  the  fol- 
lowing  year.  This  war  the  first  accession, 
otherwise  than  by  removal,  to  the  ministry, 
in  the  State.  Mr.  Baker  appears  to  have 
been  a  veil  disposed,  illiterate  and  inefficient 
man — and  was  probably  better  qualified  for 
some  other  field  of  labor  and  duty,  than  the 
ministrv.     It   is  not   known,  that  as  a  man, 


24  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

he  ever  did  any  particular  evil — and  certain- 
ly as  a  preacher,  he  never  eftected  any  es- 
sential good  to  the  denomination.  And  after 
a  few  years,  he  discontinued  his  ministry; 
and  devoted  himself  to  some  secular  em- 
ployment. 

In  the  summer  of  this  year,  Mr.  Calvin 
Winslow — a  Methodist  circuit  preacher,  re- 
nounced his  former  views,  professed  his  faith 
in  ''  the  restitution  of  all  things,"  and  receiv- 
ed the  fellowship  of  the  association.  He 
was  possessed  of  strong  native  talents,  of 
quick  apprehension  and  warm  affections, — 
was  a  very  ready  speaker,  and  preserved 
much  of  the  style  and  energy  so  character- 
istic of  the  preachers  of  his  former  connec- 
tion. His  memory  was  remarkably  tena- 
cious, and  while  he  read  little,  he  observ-- 
ed  much,  which  he  had  the  art  of  turning 
to  very  good  account  in  his  public  ministra- 
tions. Mr.  Winslow  received  ordination  the 
following  year.  And  but  for  one  besetting 
weakness,  by  which  he  was  finally  overcome, 
— intemperance — would  have  been  a  valuable 
acquisition.  No  man  loved  the  truth  better, 
— his  heart  was  in  its  prosperity  through 
every  trial,  and  every  period  of  his  life. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES  25 

1810.  This  year  was  productive  of  some 
important  changes  in  the  circumstances  of 
the  few  societies,  then  existing  in  central 
New  York.  None  of  them  had  been  able  to 
procure  preaching  more  than  one,  or  at  most, 
two  Sundays  in  the  month — not  because 
there  was  not  a  disposition  to  support  meet- 
ings— but  because  there  were  not  preachers 
to  furnish  the  supply.  In  the  mean  time, 
many  places  in  which  respectable  congrega- 
tions could  be  gathered,  were  wholly  desti- 
tute of  any  regular  meetings;  and  depended 
on  the  occasional  visits  of  clergymen  for 
week-evening  lectures  at  long  intervals. — 
Congregations  which  under  other  circum- 
stances, would  have  required  a  larger  portion 
of  ministerial  labors;  with  a  view  to  greater 
general  good,  satisfied  themselves  wuth  a 
single  meeting  in  the  month,  in  order  that 
some  other  society  or  congregation,  might 
obtain  a  like  supply.  Thei'e  was  an  all-per- 
vading sympathy,  that  seemed  to  find  pleas- 
ure in  the  good  of  others;  and  it  was  long 
cherished,  by  the  common  desire  of  diflrising 
as  far  as  practicable,  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth.  The  condition  of  an  infant  denomina- 
3 


26  HISTORICAL  .SKETCHES^. 

tion,  like  that  of  a  new  settlement,  tends  to 
expe'  the  selfishness  so  common  to  older 
communities. 

These  considerations  will  account  for  the 
great  interest  which  was  taken  'in  the  acqui- 
sition of  an  additional  preacher.  No  world- 
ly encouragements  could  be  offered  as  in- 
ducements to  enter  the  ministry — and  up  to 
this  time,  not  one  individual  had  engaged  m 
the  work,  who  had  not  been  previously 
connected  with  some  other  denomination  in 
the  character  of  a  clei'gyman.  And  from 
causes,  concerning  which  it  is  vain  to  specu- 
late, many  of  the  early  ministerial  converts 
did  not  ultimately  prove  of  any  material  ben- 
efit or  honor  to  the  cause  of  Universalism. 
They  were  received  with  joy,  encouraged 
as  far  as  practicable — but  from  previous 
habits  of  thought,  or  inattention  to  the  prin- 
ciples which  constituted  the  system  of  their 
adoption,  they  did  not  always  succeed. — 
Hence,  when  a  tried  and  approved  preacher 
located  in  the  country,  a  new  and  powerful 
impulse  was  given  to  the  cause  by  the  more 
regular  and  constant  supply  of  destitute  pla- 
ces— and  especially  by  the  confidence  which 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  2i 

he    inspired  in  the    minds  of  the   friends  of 
truth. 

The  Association  met  this  vear,  in  Madi- 
son,  Madison  Co.  at,  or  about  which  time, 
arrangements  were  made  with  Mr.  Paul 
Dean,  to  settle  with  the  society  in  Whites- 
town,  half  of  his  time  being  relinquished  for 
the  general  benefit  of  the  cause.  With 
enough  of  experience  to  give  him  a  reputa- 
tion as  a  minister  oi  the  order — with  high 
popularity  as  an  eloquent  speaker — with  very 
superior  colloquial  talents- -and  with  an  in- 
dustry worthy  so  good  a  cause,  Mr.  Dean 
was  welcomed  to  the  new  jfield  of  his  labors 
with  mingled  feelings  of  pride  and  pleasure. 
And  during  a  residence  of  three  years  in  the 
country,  he  seldom  disappointed  the  high 
expectation  of  his  friends.  He  was  young, 
healthy  and  persevering — filling  his  almost 
daily  appointments  with  the  utmost  punctu- 
alitv;  and  shrinkin^r  from  no  labor  which  thev 
involved.  And  without  any  reflection  on  the 
talents  or  usefulness  of  others,  in  their  re- 
spective spheres,  no  man  living  was  perhaps 
more  perfectly  adapted  to  the  work  allotted 
him.     His  constitution  and    habits — his  love 


28  HISTOIIICAL  SKETCHES. 

of  social  and  religious  excitement — his  abun- 
dant command  of  language,  and  the  ease  and 
freedom  of  his  delivery — all  combined  to  fit 
him  exquisitely  for  the  wants  of  the  denomi- 
nation, lie  must  travel  much,  visit  much; 
and  of  course  study  little.  He  must  preach 
often — preach  doctrinal  sermons;  and  the 
doctrine  of  the  restitution  was  his  favorite 
theme.  He  must  mingle  with  every  possible 
condition  of  society;  and  he  was  formed  to 
interest  and  gratify  all.  He  must  do  battle 
before  the  public,  wdth  the  champions  of  op- 
posing sects;  and  his  ready  command  of 
words  enabled  him  to  talk  and  conciUate,  if 
he  failed  to  convince. 

One  society  was  received  into  fellowship, 
at  this  session;  giving  evidence  of  a  gradual 
augmentation  of  organized  strength.  The 
same  influences  which  had  previously  been 
at  work,  were  still  in  operation — strengthen- 
ed by  the  accumulation  of  numbers,  and  aid- 
ed by  a  better  understanding  of  the  principles 
of  truth.  And  congregations  had  been  gath- 
ered in  several  places,  and  friends  had  come 
forward,  'till  then  unknown.  The  denomina- 
tion looked  for  little — and  was  satisfied  with 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  29 

small  A-isible  gains.  These,  it  detected  with 
a  keenness,  and  appreciated  with  a  feeling 
which  no  subsequent  additions  could  ever 
inspire.  A  new  congregation,  an  additional 
family,  and  even  the  accession  of  an  individ- 
ual to  the  cause,  were  matters  of  conse- 
quence, and  hailed  as  cause  of  congratula- 
tion and  encouragement. 

1811.  It  is  probably  the  fortune  or  mts- 
fortune  of  all  newly  organized  christian  com- 
munities, to  win  to  their  ranks  the  most  dis- 
cordant materials,  and  the  most  eccentric 
characters.  The  nucleus  being  once  formed 
and  put  in  motion,  seems  to  attract  nearly 
every  particle  floating  in  moral  space,  howev- 
er unlike  itself^ — if  in  some  one  particular, 
there  exists  a  common  element.  Hence  it 
follows,  that  in  process  of  time  a  separation 
takes  place — the  discrepancies  becoming  more 
obvious,  and  the  impossibility  of  acting  in 
concert  being  felt  by  all  parties. 

One  or  two  events  illustrative  of  this  prin- 
ciple, occurred  at  the  session  of  the  Western 
Association  in  Jericho  (now  Bainbridge)  in 
June  of  this  year.  Fellowship  was  granted 
to  Mr.  Lewis  Beers,  as  a  minister  of  the  rec- 
3* 


30  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

onciliation.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  undoubted 
worth,  of  respectable  talents,  and  a  firm  be- 
liever in  the  restitution.  But  he  held  nothing 
else  in  common  with  Universalists.  He  was 
a  Swedenborgian — and  consequently,  in  the 
estimation  of  every  proper  Universalist,  a 
visionary.  Nothing  can  be  farther  from  the 
plain,  common  sense  doctrine  of  the  restitu- 
tion, than  the  forced,  and  unnatural,  and  mys- 
tical '^  science  of  correspondencies,"  main- 
tained by  Swedenborg  and  his  admirers.  In 
an  age  making  any  pretention  to  reason,  Uni- 
versalism  coupled  with  the  endless  fancies  of 
such  a  theory,  could  not  be  supposed  to  make 
any  very  intelligible  progress.  Nor  is  it  even 
probable,  that  had  there  been  a  congregation 
of  his  own  faith  accessible.  Dr.  Beers  would 
have  sought  acquaintance  and  fellowship  with 
Universalists.  As  it  was,  this  was  his  firsts 
and  probably  his  last  appearance  at  the  Asso- 
ciation; but  he  retained  his  clerical  creden- 
tials, and  ever  remained  the  estimable  and 
warm  friend  of  the  denomination.  His  min- 
istry appears  to  have  been  incidental  rather 
than  regular — and  though  known  to  be  a 
Universalist,  he  was  still  regarded  as  laboring 
for  the  ''New  Jerusalem  Church." 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  31 

At  the  same  session  of  the  Association,  the 
Council  was  honored  with  tlie  attendance  of, 
and  the  congregation  edified  by,  a  discourse 
from — a  female  preacher.  She  too,  was  a 
Universahst.  Miss  Maria  Cook,  was  at  the 
time  some  thirty-five  years  of  age,  of  gen- 
teel and  commanding  appearance,  well  edu- 
cated, and  certainly  a  very  good  speaker. — 
From  the  character  of  her  discourses,  it 
would  appear  that  Universalism  as  a  system, 
was  unknown  to  her;  and  it  was  rather  the 
result  of  her  feelings  than  of  an  extensive  ac- 
quaintance with  the  scriptures,  that  she  had 
made  it  the  creed  of  her  adoption.  Difficult 
as  many  found  it,  to  reconcile  the  ministry  of 
Miss  Cook,  with  their  ideas  of  duty  and  pro- 
priety— they  still  accorded  her  their  sympa- 
thy and  their  hospitality.  She  was  a  Univer- 
sahst and  a  preacher  of  that  doctrine — none 
doubted  the  purity  of  her  motives,  or  the  sin- 
cerity of  her  heart;  and  satisfied  that  she 
would  do  no  hurt,  they  yielded  her  the  right 
of  choosing  this  manner  of  doing  good.  And 
for  a  time — while  the  double  charm  of  novel- 
ty and  singularity  furnished  its  attractions, 
multitudes  crowded  to  hear  her  ministrations. 


32  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

But  these  influences  could  not,  and  they  did 
not  last  long;  and  she  was  permitted  and  en- 
couraged to  discontinue  her  public  labors,  and 
to  seek  a  more  congeni-al  sphere  under  the 
protection  of  a  hospitable  private  family. — 
Miss  Cook's  connections  were  jiumerous, and 
respectable;  and  were  by  her,  represented,  as 
inveterately  opposed  to  Universalism,  This 
was  probably  true — but  there  is  much  reason 
to  believe  that  their  opposition  to  her,  grew 
out  of  far  other  considerations.  They  were 
extremely  averse  to  her  assumption  of  the 
ministerial  character;  and  probably  not  with- 
out grounds  of  apprehension  that  so  extraor- 
dinary an  undertaking  was  an  evidence  of 
mental  alienation.  One  thing  is  certain — they 
received  and  cherished  her;  whenever  she 
preferred  to  avail  herself  of  their  protection 
and  kindness. 

No  societies  were  added  during  the  recess 
of  the  Association,  the  preceeding  year.  Still 
the  friends  of  the  cause,  found  abundant  en- 
couragement, in  the  more  extended  labors  of 
the  few  ministers  of  truth,  and  the  greater 
stability  and  moderate  growth  of  societies  and 
congregations.     The  scripture  proofs,  and  the 


HIt!<TORICAL  SKETCHES.  83 

moral  influences  of  the  doctrine  of  the  final 
purity  and  happiness  of  all  men  were  better 
understood;  and  many  laymen  had  become  its 
most  efficient  advocates  in  their  respective  vi- 
cinities. They  carried  the  testimony  of  truth 
to  the  firesides  of  hundreds,  whom  pride  or 
prejudice  restrained  from  its  open  investiga- 
tion; and  by  their  integrity,  if  they  did  not 
win  converts,  they  at  least  secured  respect 
from  their  opposers.  There  was  a  necessity 
for  such  an  understanding  of  the  scriptures,  as 
would  enable  the  believer  to  give  a  ^^  reason 
of  his  hope.''  For  every  form  of  objection  was 
constantly  made  to  the  doctrine — and  with 
every  degree  of  temper.  Happily,  the  feel- 
ings of  Universalists  kept  pace  with  their 
wants;  and  they  read  and  studied  the  Bible 
with  great  diligence  and  success.  And  what- 
ever the  world  may  think — there  was  proba- 
bly no  class  of  professors  to  whom  the  scrip- 
tures were  more  precious,  or  by  whom  they 
were  better  understood. 

It  was  during  this  summer  that  the  writer 
became  iully  identified  with  Universalists — 
sympathizing  in  all  that  concerned  them  as 
far  as  their  circumstances  were  known;  and 


34  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

conlirmed  in  the  belief,  that  the  final  holiness 
and  hap|)iness  of  all  mankind  was  the  great 
doctrine  of  divine  revelation,  and  therefore 
the  truth  of  God.  This  was  too  great — too 
momentous  a  truth,  to  be  believed  and  enjoy- 
ed in  silence.  With  all  the  discouragements 
and  difficulties — with  all  the  privations  and 
obloquy  which  lay  before  him — but  one  all- 
pervading  impression  was  ever  with  him — it 
was,  that  he  must  preach  this'  gospel  of  inim- 
itable grace  to  mankind.  With  what  propri- 
ety this  feeling  w^as  cherished,  he  pretends 
not  to  judge — but  during  long  years  of  ex- 
perience and  trial;  it  has  never  once  forsaken 
him,  and  its  indulgence  has  never  in  all  that 
time,  inflicted  one  pang  of  regret.  On  the 
contrary,  every  year  has  added  new  reasons 
of  confidence  in  the  truth  of  Universal  Sal- ' 
vation;  and  new  assurances  of  the  success  of 
its  ministrv,  in  the  adootion  of  the  truth  bv 
the  human  race. 

FORETASTE. 

We  had  a  week-day  lecture,  once  a  month 
by  Mr.  Dean,  in  the  town  where  I  resided; 
and  ^vhich,  he   was  most  faithful    to  attend, 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  35 

both  in  sunshine  and  storm.  But  for  once — • 
the  indisposition  of  liis  family  detained  him; 
and  at  the  appointed  hour,  a  student  of  his  ar- 
rived, bearing  the  intelHgcnoe,  and  leaving  us 
the  alternative  of  a  discourse  from  the  young 
man,  or  of  dispensing  with  ?n}  service  on  the 
occasion.  I^  was  decided  by  the  old  heads 
after  a  moment's  consultation,  to  hear  the  stu- 
dent; although  it  was  supposed  it  would 
probably  be  his  first  sermon. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  school  house  was  re- 
spectably filled — and  better  filled  than  usual, 
from  the  fact  th.at  a  young  man  was  to 
preach.  For  the  intelligence  spread  with 
surprising  rapidity,  and  young  andold,friends 
and  enemies  came  in  and  seated  themselves 
with  all  becoming  gravity.  But  the  stealthy 
looks  which  were  exchans^ed  from  side  to 
side,  told  of  doubts  about  the  issue,  as  well 
as  of  the  fun  that  lay  concealed  under  the 
staid  and  demure  countenance. 

The  introductory  services — the  singing  aiH. 
prayer  were  got  along  with  most  reputably; 
but  now  in  almost  breathless  suspense,  and 
no  small  degree  of  anxiety  among  the  iriends; 
we  waited  for  the  sermon.     To  me,  it  was 


36  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES, 

a  moment  of  positive  agony.  Tlie  young 
man  had  however  very  plainly  "screwed  up 
his  mind  to  the  sticking  point' — sundry  cor- 
ners of  the  Bible  were  ominously  turned 
down — and  at  last  he  arose,  looking  unuttera- 
ble things.  And  so  the  event  proved.  Not 
but  that  he  said  many  excelleni  things,  and 
quite  enough  of  them — ^but  they  were  mani- 
festly not  exactly  the  things  which  he  intend- 
ed to  say.  He  was  as  green  as  a  cucumber 
— wore  a  suit  of  substantial  homespun,  that 
would  stand  a  winter  at  "Melville  Island" — 
it  was  a  glorious  sun-lit  day  about  mid  July 
• — and  the  atmosphere  like  a  calm  on  the  coast 
of  Africa,  save  its  pestilence.  To  all  these 
melting  considerations,  was  added  the  keen 
and  fixed  gaze  of  every  eye  in  the  room. — 
But  as  if  to  try  his  strength — there  he  stood, 
perspiring  at  every  pore — -and  then  in  a  voice 
of  singular  intonation,  he  gave  out  the  text 
— "For  if  the  truth  of  God^  hath  more 
abounded  through  my  lie  unto  his  glory, 
why  yet  am  /  also  judged  as  a  sinnerf — 
Rom.  3:  7. 

I  had  never   in  my   life  studied  a  sermon; 
but  it  struck  me  at  once  that  this  was  quite 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  37 

too  much  for  the  speaker;  and  that  it  would 
require  far  more  self-command  than  he  pos- 
sessed to  make  it  intelligible  to  his  hearers. 
Besides,  the  selection  strangely  enough,  forced 
a  line  of  Dr.  Young  upon  my  recollection — 

"Who  dive  at  stars  and  fasten  in  tlie  mud." 

My  seat  enabled  me  to  have  a  fair  profile 
view  of  the  speaker's  face;  and  the  workings 
of  his  mind  could  be  very  distinctly  read  in 
the  changes  of  his  countenance.  He  talked 
rapidly,  and  labored  as  if  for  life — 'till  appa- 
rently all  resources  failed  save  memory.  And 
evidently  determined  not  to  yield  to  his  em- 
barrassments— he  dropped  into  the  Bible  and 
poured  out  a  series  of  quotations  in  one 
steady  and  seemingly  inexhaustible  stream  to 
the  end  of  the  discourse. 

Never  did  I  hear  the  word  amen  with  so 
much  pleasure — never  found  greater  rehef  in 
looking  up  with  the  consciousness  that  I  could 
once  more  '-breathe  easy."  For  my  mind 
had  but  recently  been  finally  made  up  to  de- 
vote myself  to  the  ministry  of  reconciliation; 
and  I  saw  and  felt  the  trial  which  r  t  no  dis- 
tant day  awaited  me.  I  had  fully  sympathiz- 
4 


^^  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

ed  with  the  speaker — felt  all  his  embarrass- 
ments— nuailed  like  him  under  the  steady 
gaze  of  all  eyes — like  him  felt  the  blood 
mount  to  my  head,  and  then  seem  to  thick- 
en, and  accumulate,  and  curdle  about  the 
heart,  until  oppressed  with  a  sense  of  suffo- 
cation. 

But  I  had  learned  something;  and  in  the 
most  practical  way  imaginable  without  per- 
sonal experiment.  I  had  learned  never  to 
trust  myself  before  a  congregation  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  a  preacher,  without  having  some- 
thing to  say  besides  quoting  scripture- — and 
certainly  not  to  make  my  first  appearance 
without  JsTotes.  The  superior  efficacy  of 
what  is  called  extemporaneous  preachings 
was  duly  appreciated;  but  this  illustration 
convinced  me,  that  a  first  effort  was  no  time 
or  place  to  test  the  ability  of  its  successful 
attainment. 

It  will  be  gratifying  to  the  reader  to  know, 
that  this  young  man,  became  a  good  and 
useful  preacher;  and  that  he  has  sustained 
from  the  first,  a  high  character  for  moral 
and  intellectual  worth. 


HiSTORI€Ali  SKETCHES.  S& 

A     DISCUSSION. 

Mr.  Dean  continued  the  week-day  lecture 
Isefore  named,  and  in  earlv  fall  an  event  oc- 

'  ml 

curred  which  at  the  time,  excited  a  very  live- 
ly interest  in  the  vicinity.  There  were  seve- 
ral Methodist  families,  whose  apprehensions 
were  awakened,  by  the  establishment  of  a 
Universahst  meeting,  at  their  very  doors. — 
And  being  apprised  of  the  times  when  the 
meetings  were  held,  they  secretly  sent  some 
fifteen  or  twenty  miles  for  a  popular  preacher 
of  their  own  denomination,  to  come  and  put 
down  the  intruding  heretic.  The  cono-reo^a- 
tion  assembled  as  usual,  (at  about  4  o'clock, 
P.  M.,)  and  then,  first  learned  the  object  in 
contemplation.  Mr.  Dean  also  arrived — en- 
tirely unaware  of  the  intended  assault,  and 
consequently  as  little  prepared  for  it,  as  a 
clergyman  could  be.  The  Methodist  minis- 
ter— jNIr.  Wm.  B.  Lacy,  was  on  the  ground, 
charged  to  the  teeth,  with  the  chosen  argu- 
ments for  the  contest. 

At  the  close  of  the  lecture,  the  prelimina- 
ries of  debate  were  settled — a  few  minutes 
spent  in  taking  breath — and  at  about  six 
jo'clock  the  discussion  formally  commenced. 


40  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

The  following  propositions  or  rather  ques- 
tions, were  then  proposed  by  Mr  Lacy : 

"1.  Do  the  scriptures  teach  that  some  men 
will  die  in  their  sins?" 

"  2.  Will  those  who  die    in  their   sins,  be 
punished  ?" 

'^  3.  If  so — Will  that  punishment  be  end- 
less?" 

Two  of  these  were  conceded.  Mr.  Dean 
admitted  that  not  only  some  men^  but  that 
all  men  would  die  sinners,  and  that  all  sin- 
ners would  be  punished.  And  he  dispensed 
with  all  argument  and  proof  of  the  propriety 
of  this  admission,  in  order  to  reach  as  early 
as  possible,  the  third,  and  most  important 
proposition.  And  here  an  incident  occurred 
— only  worthy  of  note  from  its  singular  ef- 
frontery. It  was  well  known,  that  Mr. 
Dean  made  mo  prensions  to  a  knowledge  of 
the  original  languages  in  which  the  scriptures 
w^ere  written.  His  antagonist  had  already 
made  some  little  parade  of  books — and  now 
displayed  a  Greek  Testament,  very  gravely 
inquiring  whether  they  should  quote  the  ori- 
ginal text.  And  this  question  was  asked  by 
a  minister — who  afterwards  admitted  in  the 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  41 

same  public  manner,  in  a  debate  with  the 
«ame  man — that  he  knew  Httle  or  nothing 
about  the  language ! 

Mr.  Dean  took  the  negative  of  the  third 
proposition,  and  sustained  his  position  princi- 
pally by  the  criticisms  of  Dr.  Chauncey — and 
at  the  same  time  reviewing  briefly,  the  argu- 
ments and  proofs  adduced  by  his  opponent  in 
support  of  the  doctrine  of  endless  misery.  The 
discussion  was  continued  about  five  hours; 
and  evidently  terminated  much  less  to  the 
satisfaction  of  Mr.  Lacy  and  his  Methodist 
friends,  than  they  had  anticipated.  On  the 
contrary,  the  friends  of  Mr.  Dean,  felt  no 
disappointment,  and  suffered  no  mortification. 
They  did  not  consider  the  subject  by  any 
means  exhausted;  but  they  were  satisfied  of 
his  ability  to  maintain  and  defend  his  views. 

It  was  apparent  that  Mr.  Lacy  had  failed 
of  convincing  the  public  of  the  error  of  L^ni- 
versalism.  He  had  taken  time  for  prepara- 
tion— had  deliberatelv  chosen  his  around  of 
debate,  and  the  time  and  mode  of  attack — 
still  he  had  failed.  And  the  immediate  and 
direct  result  was— not  that   converts   were 

made  to   Universalism — but   the  conviction 
4# 


•*<i  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

of  the  auditory,  that  whether  right  or  wrong 
— true  or  false,  it  was  a  doctrine  which  ad- 
mitted of  too  much  evidence  and  was  sus- 
tainined  by  too  cogent  arguments,  to  be 
crushed  by  his  prowess.  The  manner  in 
which  the  interview  had  been  sought,  to- 
gether with  his  general  management  of  the 
debate,  sunk  Mr.  Lacy  in  the  estimation  of 
many;  and  proportionally  elevated  Mr.  Dean 
in  the  scale  of  popularity.  And  setting  aside 
the  wider  range  of  the  subjects  of  later  dis- 
cussion, and  the  diffusion  of  the  arguments 
used,  through  the  medium  of  the  oress — as 
much  immediate  good  was  effected  by  this 
humble  and  almost  forgotten  work  of  a  sin- 
gle evening,  as  has  usually  resulted  from  the 
most  elaborate  and  long-drawn  discussions 
which  have  since  occurred  in  the  denomina- 
tion. 

The  few  preachers  of  Universalism  lived 
in  a  state  of  perpetual  excitement — their  pe- 
culiar situation  daily  bringing  them  in  con- 
tact with  their  opposers,  or  subjecting  them 
to  the  endless  interrogatories  of  their  friends. 
And  though  the  pubHc  mind  exhibited  no 
particular   indications  of  excitement  on  the 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  48 

subject — an  impression  was  made,  by  their 
faithful  and  well-directed  labors.  It  is  prob- 
ably true,  that  in  all  places  and  all  instances 
in  which  the  simple  and  intelligible  doctrine 
of  Universal  Salvation  has  been  preached  by 
a  respectable  man — a  favorable  impression 
has  been  made  upon  the  public  mind.  In 
the  present  instance,  there  is  no  room  to 
doubt  the  fact.  The  surface  appeared  calm 
and  comparatively  undisturbed — but  there 
was  a  movement  and  an  agitation  deep  be- 
low; stirring  the  long  stagnant  prejudices 
and  opinions  of  society,  and  improving  its 
views  and  its  charities. 

It  was  about  this  time  (1811,)  that  an  inci- 
dent occurred,  perfectly  illustrative  of  the 
character  and  condition  of  many  religious 
minds.  One  of  the  preachers  of  the  Resti- 
tution, on  attending  an  appointment  for  the 
first  time  in  a  place  where  there  were  seve- 
ral influential  friends,  and  "  many  opposers,'^ 
was  favored  with  a  very  general  attendance 
of  the  latter,  who  seemed  '*  astonished  at  the 
doctrine."  The  attendance  and  interest  man- 
ifested, encouraged  tlie  friends  to  request 
another  appointment,  which  was  accordingly 


44  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

made.  On  the  breaking  up  of  the  congrega- 
tion, a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
who  had  been  a  profound  Ustener  to  the  dis- 
course— came  forward  and  begged  the 
preacher  at  his  next  visit,  to  preach  from 
John  5:  28,  29 —  to  which  of  course  he 
readily  consented. 

Notice  of  the  subject  of  discourse  was  cir- 
culated industriously  among  the  several  sects 
of  opposers,  and  all  the  staunch  ones  deter- 
mined to  be  present.  In  the  mean  time,they 
ventured  to  conjecture  the  result.  Some 
thought,  that  the  preacher  would  be  perfect- 
ly overwhelmed  wilh  the  text  itself,  and 
would  be  at  once  silenced,  or  become  so 
conscience-smitten  as  to  abandon  any  farther 
pretensions  to  Universalism.  Others  conclu- 
ded that  as  Universalist  preachers  were  rather 
shrewd  fellows,  it  was  quite  probable  that  in 
this  instance,  as  in  others  of  which  they  had 
heard — he  would  find  some  expedient  by 
which  to  extricate  himself — or  what  was 
quite  as  probable,  the  Devil  might  help  him 
to  explain  the  passage  and  save  him  from  the 
dilemma! 

The  day  came  when  the  validity  of  these 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES  45 

conjectures  was  to  be  tested;  and  with  it, 
came  also  the  preacher.  He  entered  upon 
the  subject  with  all  his  wonted  composure; 
and  to  the  astonishment  of  some  of  his  hear- 
ers, not  only  discoursed  with  his  accustomed 
ease  and  fluency — but  gave  such  an  exposi- 
tion of  the  text  as  most  efl^ectually  to  silence 
every  valid  objection.  He  was  evidently 
neither  embarrassed  with  the  supposed  diffi- 
culties which  the  passage  involved — nor  un- 
der demoni  acal  influence.  But  stood  before 
them  in  the  honest  simplicity  of  truth,  and 
urged  home  upon  their  hearts  the  testimony 
of  the  scriptures,  with  modest  zeal  and  al- 
most irrisistible  power. 

"  Ah,"  said  the  man  who  gave  him  the 
text — ''  the  preacher  piled  up  the  testimony 
in  favor  of  his  positions,  as  the  farmer  heaps 
up  his  newly  cleaned  wheat  on  his  threshing 
floor,  till  it  ran  over  on  every  hand;  and  not 
only  reached  every  boundary,  but  filled  the 
mind  with  glorious  conceptions  of  blessing 
and  abundance.  And  notwithstanding  my 
Presbyterianism,  I  went  to  him  and  told  him 
— that  I  was  more  than  satisfied  with  his  tes- 
timony— that  it  was  true,  every  word  of  it 
— hut  that  I  did  not  believe  itj^ 


46  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES. 

Such  was  doubtless  the  condition  of  thou- 
sands, at  that  day;  and  it  is  not  difficult  to 
predict  the  result  with  honest  minds. 

ANOTHER  DISCUSSION. 

1812.  In  February  this  year,  and  after 
some  httle  previous  arrangement,  another 
public  discussion  took  place  between  Mr. 
Lacy  and  Mr.  Dean.  The  propositions  were 
the  same  as  on  the  former  occasion — and  the 
parties  met  at  the  Presbyterian  Church,New 
Irlartford,  where  a  large  congregation  assem- 
bled and  evinced  a  very  deep  interest  in  the 
subject  by  profound  attention.  The  debate 
was  maintained  for  some  time,  with  great 
decorum — Mr.  Dean  conceding  as  before, 
that  some — that  all  men,  would  die  in  sins, 
and  that  all  sinners  would  be  punished.  This 
brought  them  again  directly  to  the  question, 
whether  that  punishment  would  be  endless. 
And  here  again,  Mr.  Lacy  introduced  the 
Greek  Testament.  Mr.  Dean  had  been  led 
to  suspect  that  his  learned  opponent  had  ven- 
tured beyond  his  depth — put  the  question  in 
such  manner  as  to  prevent  any  evasion — 
whether   he    reallv    understood   the    Greek 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  47 

Language  ?  To  the  great  surprise  of  many, 
and  evidently  much  to  his  own  mortificationy 
Mr.  Lacey  admitted,  that  he  knew  httle  or 
nothing  about  it ! 

The  discussion  was  then  of  course,  con- 
ducted in  plain  English — appeals  being  made 
respectively  to  the  criticisms  of  others,  with 
occasional  constructions  of  certain  proof 
texts.  At  length,  Mr.  Dean  having  quoted 
some  passage  designed  to  show  what  the 
will  of  God  was,  in  relation  to  man's  final 
destiny — the  following  dialogue  in  substance, 
took  place — 

Lacey — ''  If  you  will  prove  from  the  Bi- 
ble that  it  is  the  unconditional  will  of  God 
that  all  men  shall  be  saved,  I  wall  concede  the 
argument." 

Dean — (After  quoting  several  texts,  very 
deliberately  and  distinctly,)  ''I  have  now 
given  the  required  proof;  and  call  on  you  to 
fulfil  your  promise  and  concede  the  argu- 
ment." 

Lacey — "  I  made  no  such  promise." 

Gentleman — *'  I  distinctly  understood  Mr. 
Lacey  to  say — that  if  his  opponent  would 
prove  the  unconditional  will  of  God  to  save 


48  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

all  mankind,  he  would  concede  the  argument. 
I  have  so  put  it  down  in  my  Notes;  and  pre- 
sume that  it  was  so  understood  by  the 
congregation. 

Lacey — '•  That's  a  Universahst — one  of 
your  friends;  and  I  will  not  take  his  testi- 
mony." 

Dean — (Looking  around  upon  the  congre- 
gation) ''Well, — if  you  have  any  friends 
here,  I  will  take  their  testimony." 

Lacev — (A  gentleman  having  whispered 
to  him  for  a  few  moments) — "  If  I  made  any 
such  statement,  I  do  not  recollect  it." 

Dean — (Taking  his  hat) — '•  I  do  not  con- 
sider myself  under  any  obligation  to  contin- 
ue any  longer,  the  discussion  of  so  grave  a 
subject,  with  a  man  whose  memory  is  so  very 
treacherous." 

The  congregation  rose — many  voices  ex- 
claiming— ''  it  is  enough,"  and  all  rushed  out 
of  the  house. 

To  say  nothing  of  the  arguments  in  gen- 
eral, or  of  the  force  of  the  testimony  ad- 
duced by  Mr.  Dean,  in  relation  to  the  admis- 
sion of  his  opponent;  the  manner  in  which 
Mr.  Lacey  disposed   of  the  subject,  was  to 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES.  4  9 

the  last  degree  exceptionable,  if  not  equivo- 
cal. And  whatever  might  have  been  his  mo- 
tives or  convictions,  it  was  impossible  to  wit- 
ness the  proceedings,  without  feeling  that  he 
was  either  very  weak,  or  very  reckless.  This 
w^as  plainly  the  general  feeling;  of  the  exis- 
tence of  which,  there  is  good  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  both  himself  and  his  friends  w^ere 
fully  aware.  For  in  due  season,  he  w^as  re- 
moved from  one  of  the  best  circuits  in  the 
State,  in  which  he  was  the  superior — to  an- 
other which  required  almost  as  many  labours 
under  as  many  privations,  as  any  other.  He 
endured  his  degradation  for  a  thne,  and  went 
over  to  the  Episcopalians — and  was  re- 
w^arded  with  the  Rectorship  of  St.  Peter's 
church  in  the  city  of  Albany. 

Little  moral  effect  could  be  expected  to  re- 
sult, from  a  public  discussion  so  conducted 
and  so  terminated.  Yet  it  had  its  uses.  It 
tended  to  confirm  the  opinion  that  Universal- 
ism  shunned  no  trial  to  w^hich  its  opposers 
chose  to  subject  it;  and  that  its  advocates 
sought  no  means  of  its  vindication,  save  those 
of  scripture  and  reason.  This,  like  the  for- 
mer discussion,  added  much  to  the  popularity 
5 


'>0  HI«TORICxVL  SKliTCHES. 

of  Mr.    Dean,  and    so  far   was  favorable  to 
the  interests  of  Universalism. 

AND  YET  ANOTHER  DISCUSSION. 

Mr.  Dean  had  during  the  preceeding  year, 
occasionally  travelled  some  sixty  miles  West, 
for  the  purpose  of  A^siting  and  preaching  to  a 
congregation  in  the  village  of  Nine  Mile 
Creek,  in  the  town  of  Marcellus.  On  one  of 
these  preaching  excursions,  he  lectured  at 
Manlius,  or  Onondaga,  where  two  clergy- 
men— one  a  Methodist,  and  the  other,  a  Pres- 
byterian, were  present.  At  the  close  of  the 
Lecture,  the  Methodist  entered  into  contro- 
versy— but  after  a  short  time,  candidly  ac- 
knowledged that  he  did  not  feel  competent  to 
continue  the  debate,  and  took  his  seat.  On 
this,  the  Presbyterian — who  was  no  other 
than  the  somewhat  distinguished  Dr.  Lansing, 
rose,  and  said  in  amount — ''  that  although  his 
friend  did  not,  there  were  perhaps  those  pres- 
ent, who  did  feel  able  to  maintain  such  a  dis- 
cussion." This  challenge  was  promptly  ac- 
cepted— the  preliminaries  of  debate  were  set- 
tled— the  time  fixed,  and  public  notice  sent 
far  and  w^ide  by  both  parties. 


HISTORICAI.   .SKETCHES.  51 

At  the  time  appointed,  (the  latter  part  of 
February,  1812,)  ihe  parties  met  at  the 
Court  House  in  Onondaga — as  the  most  con- 
venient and  spacious  building  in  the  region. 
The  point  at  issue,  was  the  doctrine  of  the 
final  Salvation  of  all  mankind;  and  the  debate 
was  continued  through  the  day,  in  presence  of 
a  large  concourse  of  deeply  interested  audi- 
tors. And  notwithstanding  the  fearful  odds 
in  public  prejudice,  learning  and  science, 
against  Mr.  Dean — he  sustained  himself  and 
his  positions  with  so  much  propriety  and  suc- 
cess, that  he  won  respect  from  his  opposers 
and  the  admiration  of  his  friends.  And  years 
afterwards,  individuals  might  be  found,  who 
repaired  to  that  discussion  with  the  deepest 
dislike  of  Universalism — but  who  dated  their 
conversion  to  its  belief,  from  the  influence 
wrought  upon  their  minds  on  that  occasion. 

THE  THEOLOGICAL    LIBRAIJY 8TUDV. 

After  a  visit  of  a  fow^  days — I  became  in 
the  month  of  April,  1812.  a  theological  stu- 
dent. If  the  reader  supposes  that  I  had  any 
definite  or  proper  notions  of  a  requisite  course 
of  theological    reading,    preparatory    to   the 


^'2  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

ministry — even  of  Universalism,  he  is  entire- 
ly mistaken.  And  he  should  greatly  mode- 
rate his  ideas,  if  he  thinks  that  my  preceptor 
knew,  or  understood  much  more  about  the 
matter  than  myself. 

My  room-mate  was  a  young  man  of  some 
24  years  of  age,  with  a  respectable  English 
education;  and  greatly  my  superior  in  the 
knowledge  of  men  and  things.  He  pos- 
sessed talents  of  a  high  order — was  abundant- 
ly sensible  of  his  pre-eminence — and  among 
other  accomplishments,  was  sickly,  nervous, 
and  intolerably  irritable.  After  a  few  days 
of  distance  and  reserve — mutual  neglect  and 
contempt,  I  became  regularly  and  duly  in- 
stalled in  his  good  graces;  and  while  he  al- 
ways maintained,  and  I  cheerfully  conceded 
his  superiority  in  every  thing  that  he  chose  to 
claim,  we  lived  together  for  months,  in  great 
cordiality.  This  was  the  more  important,  as 
our  mutual  superior  was  usually  absent,  full 
five  days  out  of  every  week. 

The  Library — Heaven  forgive  this  appli- 
cation of  the  word — consisted   principally  of 
Locke's  Essays  on  the  human  understandinf^ 
Watts'  and  Duncan 's  Logic,  Blair's  Rhetoric, 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHE.S.  53 

Newton  and  Faber  on  the  Prophecies,  Bal- 
lou's  Treatise  on  Atonement,  Candid  Review, 
and  INotes  on  the  Parables,  Pettiperre  on  Di- 
vine Goodness,  Winchester's  Dialogues, 
Brown's  Dictionary  of  the  Bible — Cruden's 
Concordance — and  what  was  of  more  value 
than  all  of  them  to  a  novice,  Claude  on  the 
composition  of  a  sermon.  Let  no  man  de- 
spise "  the  day  of  small  things" — for  such  as 
this  Library  was,  it  was  by  far  the  best  col- 
lection of  Books  in  the  possession  of  any 
Universalist  minister  in  the  State. 

No  attention  was  required,  and  none  was 
given  to  the  composition  of  sermons — save 
what  was  voluntarily  sought  from  the  trans- 
lated Claude;  and  at  the  end  of  more  than 
seven  months,  I  left  without  having  made  a 
single  attempt  to  frame  a  regular  discourse- 
In  that  time,  I  had  probably  not  enjoyed  three 
weeks  society,  with  the  man  whom  I  had 
chosen  for  my  guide  and  teacher;  and  with 
none  of  my  desires  for  the  ministry  abated,  I 
almost  despaired  of  attaining  the  humblest 
qualifications.  To  render  this  consideration 
still  more  pungent,  it  was  probable  that  for 
months,  I  should  be  cut  off  from  any  direct 
5* 


54  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES* 

association  with  an  intelligent  Universalist. — - 
Fortunately  however,  the  vexations  of  "  The 
School  Master,'*  were  soothed  by  the  cordial 
sympathies  of  several  worthy  believers  in  the 
doctrine  of  impartial  grace  and  universal 
salvation. 

This  year  (1812)  the  session  of  the  West- 
ern Association  was  held  in  Duanesburg, 
Schenectada  Co.,  and  appears  to  have  en- 
joyed a  season  of  spiritual  refreshing.  Sev- 
eral additional  preachers  were  present,  who 
had  probably  received  the  fellowship  of  the 
order  from  some  kindred  Associations  in 
New  England — as  no  mention  is  made  of 
their  ever  having  done  so  in  New  York. — • 
And  it  is  certain  that  rhoy  became  permanent 
residents  within  the  limits  of  the  Western 
Association.  One  of  these^ — Mr.  L.  Knapp, 
was  a  young  man,  with  an  excellent  moral 
character,  and  very  good  qualifications,  as 
they  were  considered,  for  the  w^ork  of  the 
ministry.  His  subsequent  life  has  done  hon- 
or to  his  pi'ofession;  and  he  has  labored  hard, 
and  endured  much  in  the  faithful  vindica- 
tion of  the  truth.  Few  can  appreciate  the 
position  of  a  young  man,  who  like  him  enters 


HISTOHICAL  SKETCHES.  55 

a  new  and  untried  field  of  moral  labor,  where 
friends  are  to  be  raised  up  from  a  host  of  en- 
emies. It  is  Hke  raising  ''  children  to  Abra- 
ham from  the  stones"  of  the  street.  And  he 
who  neither  falters  nor  despairs  in  such  an 
enterprise,  must  rely  on,  and  iind  support 
from,  a  sustaining  power  other  than  man  or 
earth  can  yield.  Wherever  Mr.  Knapp  has 
been  known,  he  has  been  honored — and  may 
his  declining  years  be  peaceful  and  happy,  as 
his  life  has  been  virtuous  and  useful. 

Mr.  I.  H.  Ellis,  another  preacher  whose 
name  first  appears  at  this  Session  of  the  As- 
sociation, was  a  convert  from  the  ministry  of 
the  Baptists.  What  his  standing  was  among 
his  former  friends,  is  unknown — but  it  is 
scarcely  possible  that  it  should  have  been  so 
hiojh  as  to  attract  the  envv  of  his  brother- 
hood.  He  retained  so  much  the  spirit  of  his 
former  views — and  used  such  singular  and 
unadvised  forms  of  expression,  as  soon  to 
lose  caste  among  Universa lists.  However 
pure  and  upright  his  motives  might  have 
been,  he  was  of  no  benefit  to  the  denomina- 
tion; and  after  a  few  years,  its  fellowship 
was  withdrawn. 


60  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 


The  following  incident  will  illustrate  the 
character  of  Dr.  Ellis.  Of  course,  we  do 
not  vouch  for  its  substantial  verity — but  give 
it,  as  it  was  received,  as  one  among  a  thou- 
sand instances  of  his  utter  recklessness  of 
expression.  The  story  goes,  that  he  was 
preaching  on  the  scripture  use  of  the  word 
Hell — and  while  explaining  the  original  term 
Gehenna,  as  used  in  the  New  Testament,  he 
observed— That  gehenna  meant  the  valley 
of  Hinnom  so  often  spoken  of  in  the  Old 
Testament,  and  which  was  so  called  from  a 
family  of  that  name  by  whom  it  was  owned. 
He  then  added—''  /  knew  Old  Squire  Hin- 
nom very  well.''  Whether  his  hearers  w^ere 
as  well  satisfied  that  he  had  ever  formed  such 
an  acquaintance^  as  with  his  exposition,  we 
are  not  informed. 

One  society,  that  in  Ellisburg,  Jefferson 
Co.  was  received  into  the  fellowship  of  the 
Association.  No  stated  ministration  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  restitution,  could  have  been 
enjoyed  by  this  society.  For  it  was  far  re- 
moved from  the  residence  of  any  of  the 
few  preachers.  The  most  that  it  could  have 
received  at  their  hands,  was  a  temporary 
visit  from  that  most  indefatigable  pioneer — 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES  57 

Mr.  Stacy.  Thus  while  the  social  interests 
of  the  denomination  were  very  little  advan- 
ced, in  consequence  of  the  great  distance  be- 
tween kindred  societies;  centres  were  grad- 
ually forming,  which  in  process  of  time  were 
to  meet  and  spread  the  influence  of  the  truth 
far  and  wide.  And  a  few  years  have  usually 
been  sufficient  to  show,  that  these  distant 
societies  exerted  great  power  in  building  up 
the  cause  in  their  respective  vicinities.  In 
no  instance  perhaps,  has  that  power  been 
more  effectually  displayed,  than  by  this  soci- 
ety in  Ellisburg. 

In  the  course  of  this  year  another  Society 
and  preacher  were  added  in  support  of  Uni- 
versalism.  Mr.  I.  Sharman,  formerly  a  Free 
Will  Baptist — had  become  a  Unitarian  Uni- 
versahst;  and  gathered  a  small  society  in  the 
town  of  Manlius,  Onondaga  Co.  over  which 
he  was  ordained  Pastor,  by  a  Council  of  the 
Association,  Mr.  Sharman  was  from  Eng- 
land, and  originally  a  member  of  the  same 
congregation  with  the  far-famed  Dr.  Carey 
— missionary  to  India.  He  had  read  much, 
and  remembered  with  extraordinary  tenaci- 
ty, what   he  read.     But    he    was  neither  an 


58  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

easy,  nor  interesting  speaker.  His  mind  ap- 
peared to  be  overloaded  by  its  ac<"iimulations; 
and  like  a  full  store  room  which  contained 
many  articles  of  sterling  value,  by  -v^ant  of 
orderly  packing,  if  found  at  all,  it  was  with 
difficulty  and  amidst  confusion.  But  he  was 
a  christian  in  the  best  sense  of  the  term. — 
He  loved  the  gospel  of  Universal  grace;  and 
he  lived  in  honest  simplicity,  an  honour  to  its 
profession.  The  peace  of  his  kind  spirit,  rest 
upon  his  memory. 

At  this  time,  and  indeed  for  two  years  pre- 
ceeding,  Messrs.  Stacy  and  Dean  were  the 
efficient  ministers  of  the  restitution  in  the 
State.  They  spared  no  labor,  and  neglected 
no  proper  occasion  to  push  the  doctrine  of  the 
gospel  into  every  vicinity.  For  this  purpose 
they  travelled  much,  and  lectured  almost 
daily  during  the  fall  and  winter  of  the  yenr; 
and  they  performed  these  labors  under  cir- 
cumstances of  trial  and  privation,  which  at 
this  day,  seem  scarcely  credible.  Much  of 
the  day  was  spent  in  travelling  to  meet  their 
appointments — the  evening  in  preaching — 
after  which,  and  frequently  until  late  at  night, 
they  were    forced  to   answer    the  numerous 


HISJTOKICAL  SKETCHES.  59 

inquiries  of  friends,  or  to  battle  over  the  cat- 
alogue of  objections  with  some  captious  op- 
poser.  And  all  this  tim^,  sensible  that  per- 
haps half  the  family  whose  hospitality  they 
were  receiving,  would  scarcely  regard  it  as  a 
crime  to  poison  them.  No  worldly  motives 
can  sustain  men,  under  such  circumstances. 

It  was  on  these  ministerial  visitations,  that 
every  bigot  or  fanatic  found  an  opportunity 
to  display  his  zeal.  They  were  the  favorite 
seasons,  in  wyhich  these  children  of  darkness  * 
and  wrath,  vented  their  utmost  spleen,  and 
exhibited  in  more  tangible  forms  the  depths 
of  their  depravity.  They  could  perpetrate 
offences  with  the  greater  impunity,  because 
generally  their  families  were  the  only  wit- 
nesses— and  very  commonly  the  only  real 
sufferers.  There,  at  their  own  firesides, they 
committed  innumerable  offences  against  civil- 
ity and  hospitality,  in  acts  and  omissions, 
which  are  amusing  enough  at  this  distance  of 
time;  although  they  were  ■, then  matters 
of  serious  moment.  It  seems  quite  a  pleasant 
joke,  that  a  pious  lady  after  fidgeting,  and 
pouting,  and  grumbling  'till  ekven  o'clock  at 
night,  should  then  sudden/y  recollect — that 


60  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

she  had  entirely  forgotten  to  get  the  family 
supper !  Nor  would  it  then,  have  entered 
her  mind,  (she  had  been  so  occupied  and  de- 
lighted Y^iXh.  the  conversation,)  had  it  not  been 
hinted  by  a  patient  husband,  or  the  more  de- 
cisive remonstrances  of  a  crying  child!  It 
extorts  a  smile  now,  that  on  some  special  pre- 
tence, the  preacher  must  take  tea  w-ith  a 
family  which  overwhelmed  him  with  the 
courtesey  of  the  invitation,  only  to  enjoy  an 
"opportunity  of  insulting  him;  and  which  af- 
ter much  show  and  parade,  treated  him — and 
themselves  too — with  a  cup  of  hot  water ! 

Sometimes,  but  rarely,  incidents  of  a  more 
serious  nature  occurred.  One  of  this  char- 
acter was  encountered  by  Mr.  Dean,  in  the 
fall  of  1812.  He  had  attended  an  afternoon 
Lecture,  a  few  miles  from  home;  after  which, 
he  accepted  an  invitation  to  tea  previous  to 
returning.  On  the  way  to  the  house,  the 
gentleman  informed  his  guest — that  his  wife 
was  much  opposed  to  Universalism;  and  beg- 
ged him  to  excuse  any  violence  to  civility  of 
which  she  might  be  guilty.  Thus  admon- 
ished, he  was  prepared  for  the  exhibition  of 
nriuch  ill-nature  and  intolerance;  and  looked 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES-  01 

for  no  higher  fonns  of  hostility.  But  the 
event  proved,  that  he  had  reckoned  without 
his  host — or  rather  hostess. 

The  gentleman  at  whose  house  the  parties 
had  now  arrived,  was  accompanied  by  two 
daughters,  members  of  some  partiahst  church. 
And  the  preacher  soon  observed,  that  from 
some  unknown  cause — one  or  the  other  of 
them,  never  for  a  moment  left  him.  Matters 
had  proceeded  in  this  way  for  some  time, 
when  the  mother  entered  and  was  formally 
introduced  to  the  preacher.  She  barely 
looked  at  him — buised  herself  in  placing  a 
rat-tail  skillet  full  of  water,  on  the  coals 
which  she  drew  from  a  wood  fire — and  left 
the  room  without  uttering  a  word.  The 
daughters  exchanged  looks — waited  a  few 
minutes  under  much  apparent  hesitation  and 
embarrassment — and  then,  one  of  them 
seized  the  skiliet  and  ran  out  of  the  house. 
The  mother,  evidently  on  the  watch,  ran  af- 
ter her;  and  the  chase  was  kept  up  with 
great  spirit  and  at  full  speed  around  the  en- 
tire building — when  both  again  entered  the 
sitting  room,  minus  the  skillet  and  greatly 
out  of  breath.  As  soon  as  rage  and  exhaust- 
6 


62  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

ion  would  permit,  the  mother  sharply  inqui- 
red— what  had  been  done  with  her  skillet  ? 
To  which  the  daughter  replied — that  she  had 
taken  good  care  of  it.  The  mother  declared, 
that  she  must  have  it  and  could  not  do  with- 
out it.  The  daughter  rejoined — that  if  she 
must  have  it — she  must  find  it !  The  mother 
again  withdrew^  and  the  daughter ^  resumed 
her  seat;  and  informed  her  sister  in  a  whis- 
per, loud  enough  to  be  heard — that  she  had 
deposited  the  obnoxious  skillet  in  a  water- 
tank  around  the  corner  of  the  house. 

It  was  now  apparent  from  the  insane  vio- 
lence of  the  niother,  and  the  vigilance  and 
embarrassment  of  the  daughters,  that  mat- 
ters were  rapidly  approaching  a  crisis.  What 
was  yet  in  reserve  none  seemed  to  know — ' 
but  in  defiance  of  assumed  composure,  all 
were  evidently  preparing  for  the  worst — for 
renewed  conflict.  Nor  were  they  long  left 
in  suspense.  The  final  onset  was  made — 
the  real  argumentum  ad  hominum — -and  the 
field  abandoned  to  the  husband,  the  daugh- 
ters and  the  minister. 

The  mother  losing  all  hopes  of  recovering 
the    skillet,    entered   an    adjoining  pantry — 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  63 

seized  an  old  pewter  quart  tankard  full  of 
vest — and  with  steady  aim,  and  the  aug- 
mented might  inspired  by  rage,  levelled  the 
whole  mass  at  the  preacher's  devoted  head. 
It  was  now  apparent  why  one  or  the  other 
of  the  daughters  remained  in  the  room — it 
was  that  they  might  protect  their  guest  from 
personal  injury.  And  when  the  heavy  mug 
of  foaming  yest  was  hurled  at  his  head,  one 
of  them,  quick  as  thought,  suspended  a  large 
woolen  shawl  before  him,  which  received 
'  and  retained  both  the  missile  and  most  of  its 
contents.  A  half-yard  square  of  a  fine  blue 
overcoat,  was  not  merely  bespattered — but 
literally  pasted  with  the  yest,  which  the 
preacher  wore  home  in  triumph. 

But  it  will  be  asked — why  so  much  interest 
in  that  skillet  of  water?  The  answer  is  both 
obvious  and  intelligible.  It  was  placed  at  the 
fire  for  the  sole  purpose  of  being  poured, 
boilhig  hotj  upon  the  head  of  the  Universal- 
ist  minister  !  And  its  removal  was  therefore, 
the  setting  aside  of  a  very  warm  argument 
—probably  the  most  dangerous,  and  the  most 
likely  to  silence  a  Universalist,  of  any  that 
was  ever  employed  in  the  State  of  New 
York. 


64  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

Let  no  man  despair  however,  for  this  was 
the  expiring  effort  of  this  vindictive  woman, 
whose  rage  and  violence  now  recoiled  upon 
her  own  head.  From  that  time  forward,  it 
is  beheved  that  she  nev-er  attempted  any 
outrage  against  Universahsts.  The  reaction 
which  attends,  or  soon  follows  unusual  ex- 
citement and  violence  did  its  work  in  this  in- 
stance, most  effectually  and  beneficially. — 
She  ceased  to  oppose  and  learned  to  respect 
the  opinions  of  Universalists.  And  in  1817, 
when  on  her  death-bed — ^the  writer  of  this, 
was  called  in  to  pray  with  her;  and  he  heard 
from  her  own  lips — the  acknov/ledgmnnt  of 
her  folly  and  rashness — of  the  pain  and  mor- 
tification which  these  had  brought  down  upon 
her — of  her  final  reccnciliation — of  her  ar- 
dent and  long  cherished  wish,  which  had  now 
been  gratified,  that  she  might  see  and  unite 
in  prayer  with  a  Univers(hU  preacher,  to 
whom  she  could  make  hese  statements — and 
that  she  could  now  die  in  peace  !  Thus  ter- 
minated, the  career  of  one  of  the  most  vin- 
dictive enemies  of  the  truth.  There  is  no 
reason  to  doubt,  that  the  influence  of  Uni- 
versalism  made    her  a  much  better  woman 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  65 

during  several  years  of  her  life — and  every 
reason,  to  believe  that  she  died  in  ihe  faith 
and  hope  of  the  final  salvation  of  all  man- 
kind. 

AN    OPIXION. 

During  the  w^inter  of  1812-13,  a  student 
for  the  Universalist  ministry,  was  engaged 
in  teaching  a  school — which  as  usual,  was 
attended  by  a  number  of  youth  of  both  sexes, 
some  of  whom  were  older  than  their  teach- 
er. Among  these  was  a  young  man,  who 
for  several  years,  had  been  a  member  of  a 
Baptist  church  in  the  vicinity.  Like  many 
others  in  similar  circumstances,  he  had  at  last 
began  to  wonder  why  he  ever  formed  such  a 
religious  connexion.  He  of  course,  knew  very 
little  respecting  Universalism — but  enough  to 
excite  inquiry,  and  inspire  very  favorable 
views  of  the  doctrine.  The  consequence 
was,  that  he  had  become  remiss  in  attending 
the  meetings  of  his  church,  and  more  espe- 
cially absented  himself  from  its  seasons  of 
communion.  He  was  therefore  a  subject  of 
admonition  and  discipline;  and  was  in  daily 
expectation  of  a  visit  of  ceremony  from  his 
minister.  6* 


66  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

In  the  mean  time,  it  had  been  ascertained 
that  the  ''School  Master"  was  preparing  for 
the  Universalist  ministry;  and  though  not  a 
preacher^  it  was  inferred  that  he  was  more 
competent  than  his  pupil  to  manage  a  con- 
versation with  the  good  Elder.  As  fortune 
would  have  it,  a  very  early  opportunity  oc- 
curred for  testing  the  correctness  of  this 
opinion. 

The  ''School  Mater,"  like  many  others  of 
the  profession,  "boarded  round" — that  is, 
with  the  patrons  of  the  school  who  resided 
within  reasonable  distance.  And  at  the  very 
moment  of  first  entering  the  family  of  the 
young  man — he  was  introduced  to  the  mild, 
venerable  and  kind  hearted  Elder.  He  was 
a  Baptist  of  the  old  School — whose  plain 
good  sense,  and  unsophisticated  virtues,  and 
sincere  piety  did  honor  to  his  profession  and 
to  his  denomination.  His  charities,  were  too 
ample  for  his  creed — and  his  liberality  was 
strangely  perplexed  "with  close  communi- 
on." He  had  come  to  expostulate  with 
his  young  friend;  and  if  possible,  to  bring 
him  back  to  the  fold  from  which  he  had 
strayed.     He  admitted  that  the  subject  of  his 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  67 

^admonitions,  was  morally  worthy  of  all 
praise — but  he  greatly  feared,  that  such  an 
extraordinary  error  as  he  deemed  Universal- 
ism  might  lead  to  fatal  results  both  to  morals, 
and  happiness,  for  time  and  eternity. 

Having  discharged  the  duty  of  admonition, 
in  the  kindest  and  most  paternal  manner — ^ 
the  good  Elder  addressed  himself  to  the 
Teacher;  and  expressed  his  surprise  at  learn- 
ing that  he  was  a  Universalist*  The  pious 
old  man  was  a  total  stranger  to  the  doctrine 
of  the  restitution,  and  asked  with  child-like 
simplicity,  a  number  of  questions  respecting 
the  views  of  its  professors.  This  of  course, 
authorised  the  asking  of  questions  in  turn; 
when   in   substance   the    following  dialogue 

took  place. 

Universalist — ''In   what   way    do   you 

reconcile  the  scripture  doctrine  that  God  will 

reward  every  man  according  to  his  works, 

with  the  popular  views  of  the  forgiveness  of 

sins  V' 

Elder — "None  but  believers  are  for- 
given; and  the  impenitent  are  punished  ac- 
cording to  their  deeds." 

Univer. — ''But  this   does  not   meet  the 


68  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

question.  For  according  to  your  statement, 
those  who  are  forgiven  escape  all  punish- 
ment— while  those  that  are  punished  are  not 
forgiven.  Allowing  that  all  are  equally 
guilty,  how  can  it  be  said  that  all  have  re- 
ceived according  to  their  w^orks,  on  this  sup- 
position ?" 

Elder — •'  Those  who  are  not  forgiven  are 
punished  in  their  own  persons  -but  believers 
only  are  exempted,  because  Christ  has  suf- 
fered for  them."' 

Uni. — "'  I  know  that  snch  is  common 
opinion;  but  still,  I  am  unable  to  see  how  it 
can  be  said  with  propriety,  that  those  have 
received  according  to  their  works — who  have 
not  done  so  personally." 

Elder—''  Why  there  does  appear  to  be 
something  in  that.  I  have  never  thought  of 
the  subject  in  that  light  before — how  do  you 
view  the  matter?" 

Unl — "  I  did  not  expect  to  be  called  upon 
to  answer  my  own  question — it  was  asked 
because  I  wanted  information  which  I  do  not 
profess  to  have.  But  that  the  common  opin- 
ion respecting  forgiveness  is  incorrect  I  have 
now  no  doubt." 


niSTORICAL  SKETCHES,  69 

Elder — ''  Well — give  your  own  opinion." 

UxXi. — '*  I  can  scarcely  be  said  to  have 
formed  one — but  it  appears  to  me,  that  on  the 
supposition  of  endless  demerit  for  sin,  it  is 
impossible  to  render  to  every  man  according 
to  his  deeds,  and  at  the  same  time  any  be 
forgiven.  But  if  punishmenf  is  temporary, 
the  sinner  can  be  forgiven  even  if  punish- 
ment be  inflicted.  For  it  is  not  punishment, 
but  sin  that  is  said  to  be  remitted." 

Elder — ''  This  is  new  to  me,  and  as  you 
seem  to  be  candid,  I  will  think  of  it." 

Here  the  good  old  Elder  took  leave,  little 
dreaming  that  the  opinion  which  had  been 
given,  was  as  new  to  the  young  '^  School 
Master,"  as  to  himself  But  the  lapse  of 
thirty-years,  during  w^hich  this  subject  has 
often  been  made  a  matter  of  careful  investi- 
gation, has  wrought  no  material  change  in 
the  v.ews  thus  expressed. 

The  Western  Association  met  in  June, 
1813,  in  the  village  of  New  Hartford;  and 
enjoyed  a  happy  and  encouraging  session. 
It  is  difficult  since  the  multiplication  of  sim- 
ilar ecclesiastical  bodies,  to  appreciate  the 
feelings  with  which  the  meetings  of  this  As- 


70  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

sociation,  were  anticipated.  Individuals  at 
the  distance  of  100,  or  150  miles  from  the 
place  of  meeting,  made  their  calculations  and 
commenced  their  arrangements  sometime  in 
advance  of  the  session.  And  when  the  time 
came,  old  and  young  congregated  for  the  re- 
newal of  friendships,  to  exchange  salutations 
^ — and  above  all  other  things,  to  enjoy  a  sea- 
son of  rational  and  high  devotion.  All  be- 
came excited- — and  there  was  a  power  and  a 
pathos  in  the  public  discourses,  that  kindled 
and  augmented  the  zeal  of  the  congregations; 
and  all  felt  that  it  was  indeed  "none  other 
than  the  house  of  God  and  the  gate  of 
Heaven.''  The  best  talents  in  the  denomi- 
nation were  called  out  and  put  in  requisition, 
and  the  time  and  circumstances  were  every 
way  calculated  to  make  an  impression, wh'ch 
would  be  felt  for  months  to  come,  in  every 
department  of  the  order. 

At  this  session,  "  Letters  of  Fellowship," 
were  granted  to  S.  Jones,  J.  Gowdy,  S. 
Miles,  and  S.  R.  Smith,  as  preachers  of  the 
everlasting  gospel.  Mr.  Jones  had  been  a 
Baptist  preacher  some  twelve  years  j  and 
had  already  preached  the    restitution   for  a 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  7l 

season  when  he  received  the  fellowship  of 
the  Association.  He  was  profoundly  desti- 
tute of  that  species  of  knowledge  derived 
from  books,  but  possessed  a  remarkable  flu- 
ency in  the  delivery  of  his  discourses.  His 
mind  was  strong  and  clear,  and  his  language 
— which  frequently  defied  all  grammatical 
rules,  rolled  on  in  one  steady  and  unbroken 
current  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  his 
sermons.  He  was  perfectly  enamored  of  the 
doctrine  of  illimitable  grace,  and  he  preached 
it  in  all  its  fullness  and  power,  at  all  times,  in 
all  places  and  on  all  occasions — ^in  sermons 
of  almost  interminable  length.  For  when  his 
tongue  was  once  set  in  motion— the  theme 
was  so  vast,  the  subject  so  grand,  so  good, 
so  transporting,  that  he  seemed  never  to 
know  when  to  stop.  Of  all  our  number,  he 
was  possessed  of  far  the  most  natural  elo- 
quence, of  the  most  commanding  figure  and 
most  interesting  and  prepossessing  appear- 
ance. He  had  a  noble  face  and  an  expressive 
countenance,  and  when  lighted  up  by  the  ani- 
mation inspired  by  his  subject,  and  accompa- 
nied by  the  music  of  a  most  flexible  and  power- 
ful voice — few  men  appeared  to  better  advan- 


72  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

tage,  and  none  commanded  more  profound, 
and  fixed  attention.  His  constant  practice 
of  delivering  a  whole  body  of  divinity  in 
every  discourse,  gave  a  sameness  to  his 
desk  labors  that  was  unsuited  to  the  wants 
of  any  single  congregation — but  this  very 
circumstance  rendered  him  eminently  useful^ 
as  an  itinerant  preacher. 

Mr.  Miles  had  also  been  a  Baptist — ^but 
not  a  preacher;  and  he  entered  upon  the 
work,  with  two  sterling  qualifications,  a  good 
heart,  and  a  firm  and  abiding  faith.  These 
have  been  abundantly  testified,  by  a  life  of 
persevering  labor  and  unexceptionable  virtue. 
In  the  estimation  of  some,  he  has  impaired 
his  usefulness  by  a  habit  of  allegorizing,  and 
thereby  mystifying  the  scriptures. 

Mr.  Gowdy  was  a  Baptist  minister — and 
like  most  of  the  preachers  of  that  denomina- 
tion then  in  the  country,  was  a  very  plain, 
unlettered  man.  He  was  accustomed  to 
preach  long  spin-text  sermons,  in  the  very 
purest  ding-dong  monotony  once  so  charac- 
teristic of  that  people.  How  such  a  man,  at 
that  day,  came  to  be  a  convert  to  Univer- 
salism,   was   matter   of  surprise.     But   the 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  73 

truth  was — he  had  mind^  and  appears  to  have 
thought  more  than  haU' his  church;  and  other 
circumstances  being  favorable  to  an  acquaint- 
ance with  UniversaHsm,  with  the  help  of  his 
Bible,  he  fairly  argued  himself  into  a  belief 
of  the  doctrine.  He  lost  little  except  his 
tone  by  the  change — and  he  gained  a  glori- 
ous faith  which  he  vindicated  through  life, 
and  which  fully  sustained  him  with  its  hopes 
in  death. 

Mr.  C.  Morton,  formerly  a  Baptist,  com- 
menced preaching  the  restitution,  and  was 
ordained  as  an  evangelist  at  Saratoga,  some 
time  in  the  course  of  this  year.  With  a  fee- 
ble constitution  and  sickly  body,  he  has  never 
been  as  efficient  a  laborer  as  many  others; 
but  he  has  ever  devoted  the  energies  which 
he  possessed.,  to  the  faithful  inculcation  of  the 
truth.  His  sincerity  and  humility  have  won 
for  him,  the  sympathy  and  r"espect  of  the 
members  of  his  denomination. 

This  Association  evinced  its  solicitude  to 
augment  the  ntmber  of  its  nominal  preach- 
ers, by  an  act  of  gratuitous  courtesy — not  to 
say  indiscretion.  It  was  well  known,  that 
one  of  the  individuals  who  received  fellow- 
7 


74  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

ship,  had  no  intention .  of  commencing  the 
ministry  under  several  months  at  least — if 
within  the  year.  And  yet  his  friends  asked 
for  him,  and  their  request  was  granted,  and 
he  received  a  ''  Letter  of  Fellowship,"  as  a 
gospel  minister  !  With  what  show  of  pro- 
priety; such  a  measure  could  be  adopted  by 
a  grave  body,  acting  for  the  religious  inter- 
ests of  their  denomination,  does  not  very 
distinctly  appear.  True — the  person  was 
well  known  to  several  members  of  the  As- 
sociation— but  it  could  not  be  known,  that  he 
would  ever  become  a  preacher.  And  the 
Letter,  which  certified  that  he  was  a  preach- 
er, and  as  such  recommended  him  to  the 
whole  fraternity  of  Universalists,  was  en- 
tirely in  anticipation  of  that  fact.  Strange 
as  it  may  seem,  this  course  of  procedure, 
though  seldom  occurring,  was  neither  repudi- 
ated nor  formally  abandoned,  until  after  the 
lapse  of  more  than  seven  subsequent  years. 

This  anxiety  to  engage  numbers  in  the 
w^ork  of  the  ministry,  was  manifested  in 
other  ways,  in  acts  of  still  greater  impru- 
dence. '^  Letters  of  Fellowship,"  were  not 
only  given  without  any  adequate  inquiry  into 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  75 

the  qualifications  of  the  applicants — but  with- 
out any  proper  knowledge  of  their  moral 
character.  The  consequences  were  what 
might  be  reasonably  expected.  Some  very 
honest  and  well-meaning  men  were  seized 
with  the  desire  to  preach  the  gospel,  whose 
profound  incapacity,  was  only  sustained  by 
their  presumption — and  others  without  their 
integrity,  seem  to  have  aspired  to  the  minis- 
try of  Universal] sm  as  a  protection  from  the 
obloquy,  or  discipline  which  their  indiscre- 
tions incurred,  while  connected  with  other 
denominations.  This  at  least,is  the  aspect  in 
which  the  conduct  of  several  subsequent  con- 
verts from  other  sects,  is  very  distinctly  pre- 
sented. But  as  in  many  other  things — expe- 
rience, if  it  has  not  wholly  cured,  has  greatly 
mitigated  these  evils  in  our  Association. 

A  PRACTICAL  TEST  OF  THE  TRUTH. 

The  practical  tendency  of  Universalism, 
was  diligently  represented  as  "only  evil;" 
and  that  consequently,  it  was  unworthy  of 
adoption.  It  was  therefore  natural  for  its 
believers,  to  observe  its  tendency  ii»  the  gen- 
eral conduct  of  its  professors.     A  gentleman, 


76  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

then  recently  established  on  a  small  farm,had 
the  misfortune  to  have  his  house,  his  stock 
of  provisions,  his  furniture  and  even  the  val- 
uable wearing  apparel  of  his  family,  con- 
sumed by  fire.  He  and  his  v^^ife  were — if 
not  members,  at  least  attached  to  the  Con- 
gregational Chuch,  and  attended  its  meetings. 
As  a  matter  of  course,  the  eyes  of  the  suf- 
ferers were  turaed  to  the  members  of  their 
own  congregation,  for  sympathy  and  aid. 
A  subscription  was  accordingly  put  in  circula- 
tion; and  very  properly  presented  to  the  cit- 
izens generally  without  regard  to  their  reli- 
gious profession.  Nor  is  it  probable,  that 
the  faith  of  those  most  interested,  was  taken 
into  the  account  by  a  majority  of  contribu- 
tors. And  yet,  it  so  happened- — the  fact  was 
often  named,  and  was  probably  never  denied 
— that  the  subscriptions  of  Universalists  av- 
eraged several  times  the  amount,  given  by 
an  equal  number  of  Congregationalists  of 
equal  property.  The  lesson  which  it  taught, 
will  never  be  forgotten.  If  this  w^as  the  re- 
sult of  constitution,  it  was  practical  proof 
that  mankind  were  not  equally  depraved — ^if 
it  was  the  fruit  of  Universalism,  it  was  suffi- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES  77 

cient  to  silence  forever,  the  cavils  respecting 
the  moral  tendency  of  that  doctrine,  and 
commend  it  to  the  acceptance  of  every  be- 
nevolent mind. 

TEACHING  AND  PREACHING. 

Some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  general 
state  of  Universalism,  in  most  places  in  cen- 
tral New  York,  at  this  time — from  the  fact, 
that  when  a  certain  young  preacher  engaged 
a  school  for  the  winter  of  1813-14,  it  was 
deemed  necessary  to  stipulate,  that  he  might 
occupy  the  school  fwuse  a  part  of  the  Sab- 
baths for  holding  meetings.  Even  this  in- 
dulgence would  not  have  been  granted,  in  all 
places.  But  Mr.  Stacy  had  preached  in  this 
vicinity  some  few  times;  and  fortunately 
two  or  three  respectable  and  influential  indi- 
viduals had  become  believers  in  the  restitu- 
tion. It  was  accordingly  soon  arranged,  that 
meetings  should  be  held  every  two  weeks — 
the  Methodists  having  the  use  of  the  house 
alternate  Sundays.  No  provision  was  of 
course  made,  and  nothing  definite  was  said 
about  compensation — indeed  none  was  ex- 
pected. The  first  and  great  object  was  to 
7# 


78  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

obtain   hearers;    all  expectations  of  support 
being  based  exclusively  upon  other  resources. 

Here  then,  the  double  duty  of  teach- 
ing and  preaching  was  performed,  during  the 
long  winter;  and  to  one  so  inexperienced, 
the  labor  was  intensely  arduous.  The  larger 
pupils,  and  nearly  every  family  in  the  district, 
whatever  their  religious  faith,  very  generally 
and  punctually  attended  the  meetings.  So 
that  the  congregations  were  about  as  numer- 
ous, as  well  as  respectable,  as  any  in  the 
place.  These  meetings  were  regularly  con- 
tinued about  six  months,  during  which  time, 
the  preacher  received  many  personal  civili- 
ties— and  by  way  of  compensation,  half  a 
bushel  of  dry  apples,  and  eight  or  ten  loads  of 
wood  for  the  benefit  of  his  father's  family! 
The  remaining  Sabbaths  were  spent  in  seve- 
ral different  places,  and  altogether  brought 
during  the  same  time,  in  substantial  currency 
about  ten  dollars! 

Small  as  this  compensation,  or  rather  char- 
ity was — it  was  received  with  that  feeling 
of  gratitude,  which  perhaps  nothing  but  the 
peculiar  circumstances  of  the  denomination 
could  have  inspired.     And  the  preacher  who 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  79 

received  it,  has  seldom  drawn  more  encour- 
aging assurances  of  countenance  and  support, 
from  any  sum  however  large  or  unlocked  for, 
than  from  these  small  bestowments.  The 
means  of  those  who  gave,  were  by  no 
means  so  small  as  to  render  such  gifts  bur- 
densome— on  the  contrary  they  were  abun- 
dantly ample.  But  it  was  known  that  the 
"School  Master"  was  receiving  good  wages 
— some  of  our  older  preachers  were  perpet- 
ually declaiming  ngainst  ministerial  salaries 
— and  no  doctrine  which  they  preached  was 
so  readily  received,  or  half  so  popular.  Poor 
good  men — had  they  known  how  little  was 
received  by  the  ministers  generally,  of  all 
sects,  at  that  time,  they  would  have  had  little 
cause  of  complaint  of  its  abundance. 

SERMON  AMOiVG  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE. 

It  happens  to  most  young  preachers,  that 
among  their  early  severe  trials — is  that  of 
preaching  a  first  sermon  to  the  people  among 
whom  they  have  spent  their  childhood  and 
youth.  Few  events  are  accompanied  with 
such  a  multitude  of  singular  associations; 
and  none  are  better  calculated   to  test  "the 


80  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

stuff  the  man  is  made  of" — than  a  first  ser- 
mon at  home.  There,  and  all  around  him, 
are  the  men  and  women  under  whose  eyes 
his  morning-days  were  passed — there  too  are 
the  youth, with  whom  he  played  and  gamboled 
in  childhood,  with  whom  he  shared  the  joys 
and  griefs  of  young  life,  and  with  whom 
until  lately,  he  romped  and  froHcked  and 
sympathized  in  far  other  scenes  and  sub- 
jects than  those  which  now  engage  his 
attention.  No  matter  how  pure  he  kept 
himself  from  actual  wrong — how  innocent 
his  gaity,  or  how  elevated  his  principles. — 
He  has  assumed  a  new  and  a  grave  charac- 
ter— he  has  commenced  teaching  in  sacred 
things — has  become  a  minister  of  religion; 
and  all  ages  and  sexes  that  knew  him,  are 
determined  for  once,  to  test  his  capacity  and 
satisfy  themselves  of  his  pretensions.  Every 
one  desires  to  see  him  in  his  new  character 
— to  bear  what  he  can  say  and  how  he  will 
say  it,  and  to  know  precisely  how  he  looks 
and  acts  as  a  clergyman.  With  many,  there 
is  a  deeper  interest — they  wish  to  ascertain 
whether  his  heart  is  in  the  matter,  and  if  the 
purity  of  earnest  upright   integrity   mingles 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES  81 

its  influence  in  his  profession.  Some  will 
hear  him  for  the  ignoble  purpose  of  bearing 
their  part  in  staring  him  down — others,  be- 
cause they  wish  him  well,  either  because 
they  were  the  friends  of  his  parents,  or  they 
liked  the  boy,  or  were  pleased  wath  the  youth, 
— will  hear  him  for  his  encouragement.  At 
all  events,  he  will  have  a  full  house,  and  an 
attentive  auditory.  Old  bigotry  itself,  will 
for  once  forget  its  obstinacy,  and  crawl  forth 
to  speculate  upon  the  new  and  strange  things 
to  be  seen  and  heard;  those  of  all  religions 
and  no  religion.^'the  fearful  and  unbelieving" 
sit  down  together  to  listen  wqth  new  inter- 
est to  a  sermon. 

The  appointment  had  been  made — and  the 
young  preacher  prepared  to  meet  the  very 
congregation  which  of  all  others  knew  him 
best;  but  which,  for  that  identical  reason, 
he  most  dreaded  to  appear  befoi'e  in  the 
character  of  a  clergyman.  Not  that  he  was 
conscious  of  deserving,  or  so  much  as  feared, 
either  contempt  or  reproach — it  was  not  the 
dread  of  the  guilty  mind,  it  was  not  the 
withering  apprehension  of  the  bashful  youth 
— but  it  was  the  singular  consideration  that 


82  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

every  body  knew  him,  and  would  witness  his 
success  or  his  fall;  and  judge  of  his  capacity 
and  principles.  Passing  the  dwelling  of  a 
most  worthy  and  venerable  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  with  whose  family  the 
preacher  had  long  lived  in  intimacy  and 
friendship,  he  witnessed  much  bustle  and  pre- 
paration for  attending  meeting.  Smiling  fa- 
ces and  friendly  nods  seemed  to  say — we  are 
all  coming,  and  whether  you  sink  or  swim, 
we  shall  stand  by  you  and  show  ourselves 
your  friends. 

We  may  reprobate  the  grosser  forms  of 
superstition  as  w^e  will,  and  wonder  that  so- 
ber minds  could  ever  believe  in  omens — but 
with  all  our  better  light,  and  the  never  fail- 
ing guide  of  revelation;  there  are  probably 
few  persons  w^ho  have  not  enough  of  the 
pagan  still  about  them,  to  induce  them  to 
seize  on  something  as  the  sign  of  good  or 
evil,  success  or  misfortune.  This  young 
preacher  was  sinking  under  the  weight  of  an- 
ticipated embarrassments,  which  were  accu- 
mulating as  he  approached  nearer  to  the 
scene  of  trial.  The  sight  of  a  gloomy  and 
foreboding  countenance,  would  have  broken 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  83 

his  heart  and  overwhehiied  him  with  despair. 
How  very  grateful  and  encouraging  it  was 
then,  to  meet  on  the  first  recognized  faces, 
the  kindly  assurance  of  a  cheerful  look! 
How  much  of  the  heart  shines  out  in  the 
countenance;  and  how  many  of  life's  purest 
enjoyments — how  much  of  its  success,  of 
fidelity  to  its  duties  and  its  trusts,  'often  de- 
pend greatly  upon  such  trifles  as  a  word,  or 
a  smile  of  approval! — In  this  instance,  the 
preacher  was  re-assured,  and  welcomed  the 
pledge  that  his  reliance  on  Heaven  for  sup- 
port, was  not  in  vain. 

The  congregation  assembled — the  hour  of 
service  came — and  the  speaker  entered  the 
same  house  and  took  his  place  on  the  identi- 
cal stand,  where  some  three  years  before,  he 
had  seen  a  young  man  tremble  and  quail  be- 
fore many  who  were  now  again  present. — 
This  he  remembered;  and  the  recollection 
tended  to  diminish  the  sum  of  composure 
which  with  great  effort  he  had  attained.  To 
gain  a  little  time,  and  if  possible  some  degree 
of  assurance — he  very  frankly  told  the  au- 
dience,, how  sensible  he  was  of  the  strange 
situation  in  which  he  found  himself  placed — 


84  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

how  many  recollections  crowded  upon  him 
•— r-how  utterly  powerless  he  stood  before 
them,  save  in  the  strength  of  the  everlasting 
God.  This  brief  parley  was  sanctified  to  the 
end  proposed — the  preacher  stood  self-col- 
lected, and  the  congregation  gave  attention. 
The  intermission  brought  the  preacher 
within  the  reach  of  salutations  from  the  com- 
panions and  acquaintance  of  his  whole  life; 
and  among  them — the  friends  from  whose 
kind  looks  he  had  that  mornino;  drawn  so 
much  encouragement.  The  good  old  Meth- 
odist father  was  there  too,  gave  his  hand, 
and  uttered  with  solemn  fervor  and  peculiar 
emphasis,  ''God  bless  you."  This  was  so 
strange — failing  as  it  did,  upon  a  Universalist 
— coming  as  it  did,  from  a  devoted  Methodist 
— that  the  audible  benediction  of  Paul  him- 
self, could  scarcely  have  awakened  more 
wonder,  or  inspired  more  gratitude.  And 
what  could  this  mean?  Why,  of  all  living 
men  should  he  give  his  benediction  to  one 
who  had  just  preached  in  his  hearing,  what 
as  a  Methodist  he  could  not  approve?  He 
might  have  forgotten  his  creed,  in  the  recol- 
lection that  the  preacher  had  grown  up  under 
his  own  eyes — ^perhaps  he  was  one  of  those, 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  85 

who  looked  abroad  and  beyond  the  views  of 
his  sect,  and  behoved  in  quiet,  and  hoped 
with  assurance  in  the  final  restitution  of  all 
the  human  race.  However  this  may  be,  his 
blessing  did  much  to  assure  the  preacher, 
that  the  hour  of  his  trial  in  preaching  among 
the  companions  of  his  youth  and  the  wit- 
nesses of  his  whole  life — had  now  passed 
away  forever. 

WESTERN  ASSOCIATION GENESEE    BRANCH. 

This  year  (1814)  the  Association  met  in 
Sherburne,  Chenango  Co.,  and  received  a 
number  of  accessions  by  various  means,  to 
its  numbers  and  strength.  The  names  of  C. 
G.  Person,  A.  Green  and  L.  Pitts,  appear  for 
the  first  time,  on  the  Minutes  of  this  session, 
among  the  ministers  of  the  reconcihation. — 
Mr.  Person  w^as  well  known  to  the  denomi- 
nation, as  an  experienced,  able  and  faithful 
co-worker  in  the  ministry.  He  settled  about 
this  time,  as  pastor  of  the  congregations  in 
Duanesburg,  Schenectada  Co.,  and  Green- 
field in  Saratoga;  and  to  the  latter  place  he 
removed  from  Vermont,  or  New  Hampshire, 
thenceforward   to   be   numbered  among  the 

8 


8(5  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

preachers  in  New  York.  He  was  possessed 
of  an  excellent  and  discriminating  judgement, 
a  strong  memory,  and  good  preaching  tal- 
ents. As  a  counsellor,  he  had  no  superior — 
as  a  christian,  there  were  none  more  self- 
sacrificing,  or  charitable,  or  devoted.  In 
public  and  private  life,  there  are  few  indeed, 
who  have  not  said  and  done  more  weak  and 
wrong  things,  than  this  good  man.  His  life 
has  been  one  continued  testimony  of  the  faith 
he  professed;  and  the  respect  in  which  he 
has  been  held  by  all  who  knew  him  is  proof 
of  the  value  and  character  of  his  influence. 

Dr.  Green  had  been  for  some  years,  an 
Elder  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Small  of  stat- 
ure, of  meagre  aspect,  with  a  thin  and  feeble 
voice,  he  was  laborious,  ardent  and  eccentric. 
He  abounded  in  good  humor — related  innu- 
merable anecdotes;  and  strangely  mixed  up 
his  fun  with  his  devotions.  His  patience  and 
forbearance  were  absolutely  inexhaustible. 
He  preached  discourses  respectable  for  their 
soundness  and  moral  bearing;  but  he  illus- 
trated them  with  the  most  grotesque  and 
laughable  materials.  He  seemed  to  recur  to 
things  the  most  singular  and  out-of-the-way 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  87 

imaginable;  and'  3'et  nothing  ever  came 
amiss,  or  in  such  shape,  that  he  could 
not  mould  it  to  his  purpose.  But  with  all  his 
oddity — he  was  always  honored  and  loved  as 
a  good  man.  He  is  now  low  in  the  vale  of 
years:  and  may  his  sun  go  down  with  the 
clearness  and  calmness  that  has  marked  his 
day. 

Mr.  Pitts  was  a  convert  from  the  Metho- 
dists— and  had  probably  been  employed  as  a 
local  preacher.  Of  his  talents  or  acquire- 
ments, little  is  known;  as  he  remained  but  a 
few  years  in  the  connexion,  which  he  this 
year  formed  with  Universalists. 

At  the  session  of  the  proceeding  year,  the 
society  in  Pittsford,  then  Ontario  now  Mon- 
roe County,  was  received  into  fellow^ship. — 
It  was  principally  composed  of  English  Uni- 
tarians; but  being  believers  in  the  restitution, 
they  sympathised  with  Universalists,  and 
united  with  them  accordingly.  This  was 
one  of  the  largest  and  strongest  societies  in 
the  State.  Its  former  worthy  and  intel- 
ligent minister,  Mr.  Billinghurst,  continued 
his  labors  with  this  congregation.  This  was 
emphatically  the  first  Ihiiversalist  Society  in 


88  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

what  is  properly  denominated  "Western 
New  York" — and  it  took  the  appropriate 
name  of  "The  first  UniversaHst  Society  in 
the  County  of  Ontario,"'  which  then  included 
a  tract  of  country  that  would  suffice  for  a 
respectable  State.  Few  congregations  have 
maintained  their  identity  and  influence,  with 
greater  fidelity  or  success.  Mr.  Billinghurst 
possessed  a  w^ell-chosen  library,  which  like 
his  house  and  his  heart,  was  open  to  every 
friend  of  truth  and  righteousness.  And  to 
this  plain,  intelligent  and  good  man,  and  to 
the  Society  with  w^hich  he  w^as  identified, 
Universalism  is  greatly  indebted  for  its  gene- 
ral prosperity  in  the  surrounding  region. 

There  were  now  (1814)  two  or  three 
preachers  in  Western  New  York — Mr.  L. 
Knapp  having  established  himself  either 
with,  or  in  the  vicinity  of  Mr.  Billinghurst; 
and  Mr.  I.  Parker,  of  Benton  in  the  same 
County,  who  had  been  present  at  a  previous 
Session  of  the  Association.  It  is  believed 
that  the  latter  was  a  convert  from  the  Bap- 
tists; and  that  he  died  soon  after  the  time  to 
which  reference  is  here  made.  He  was  es- 
teemed   more   for    his    moral   and    religious 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  89 

worth,  than  for  his  pulpit  talents;  but  he  ex- 
erted these  with  fidelity  and  becoming  zeal. 

The  preachers  and  congregations  in  this 
Section  of  the  State,  instructed  their  dele- 
gate to  the  Association,  Mr.  Knapp,  to  ask 
the  organization  of  a  Branch,  in  Western 
iVew  York.  And  after  due  consideration  of 
their  isolated  situation — the  expense  and  in- 
convenience of  meeting  the  yearly  sessions 
of  the  Association,  and  the  probable,  better  in- 
fluence which  would  be  exerted  in  promoting 
the  cause  of  truth,  it  was  resolved,  that  the  re- 
quest ought  to  be  granted.  The  petitioners 
were  accordingly  authorized  to  call  a  meet- 
ing of  delegates,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying 
such  resolution  into  eflfect;  which  was  done 
in  the  fall — when  the  "  Genesee  Branch  of 
the  Western  dissociation' '  was  duly  organ- 
ized. 

This,  as  may  well  be  conceived,  was  a 
subject  of  great  interest,  as  well  as  impor- 
tance to  the  denomination.  It  told  well  for 
the  progress  of  the  cause;  and  was  fully  ap- 
preciated both  by  its  friends  and  its  enemies. 
Whatever  might  be  the  condition  of  indi- 
vidual congregations — the  legitimate  power 
8* 


90  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

and  influence  of  the  denomination,  would  be 
acknowledged  and  felt  in  a  new,  and  exten- 
sive region.  Its  sessions,  which  would  be 
attended  by  delegates  from  the  parent  Asso- 
ciation, would  not  only  impart  new  energy 
to  believers,  but  would  tend  to  increase  pub- 
lic confidence  by  the  introduction  and  main- 
tenance of  a  system  of  order.  The  creation 
of  this  new  body,  gave  a  better  general  idea 
of  the  real  strength  and  number  of  Univer- 
salists,  than  could  have  been  known  even  to^ 
themselves,  by  any  other  obvious  means. — 
And  this  effect  was  no  less  valuable,  in  secur- 
ing the  co-operation  of  such  as  hesitated  be- 
tween two  opinions,  so  long  as  they  saw  and 
knew  only  the  few  around  them. 

One  additional  society — that  of  "Sher- 
burne and  Columbus,''  was  received  into  Fel- 
lowship, at  this  session  of  the  Western  As- 
sociation. It  thus  appears,  that  from  every 
quarter,  the  believers  in  the  faith  of  Abra- 
ham, had  reasons  of  encouragement  and  con- 
gratulation. Old  societies  were  gradually 
increasing  in  numbers  and  strength — preach- 
ers were  multiplying — a  new  Association  had 
been   projected,    where   only  some  two   or 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  91 

three  years  previous,  it  was  not  so  much  as 
known  that  any  considerable  body  of  believ- 
ers existed.  These  were  the  buddings  of 
that  moral  wilderness,  which  has  since  then 
put  forth  blossoms  and  borne  much  fruit. 

ITINERATING. 

As  a  natural  consequence,  those  societies 
which  could  command  the  regular  services  of 
a  clergyman,  would  locate  the  older  and 
more  experienced  ministers  of  the  order. — 
And  there  were  generally,  enough  of  such, 
to  supply  for  a  greater  or  less  proportion  of 
the  time,  all  the  congregations  which  aspired 
to  the  maintainance  of  regular  public  wor- 
ship. It  therefore  followed,  that  with  few 
exceptions — every  young  minister  was  com- 
pelled to  itinerate.  This,  though  attended 
with  many  inconveniences,  as  well  as  requir- 
ing great  labor,  was  probably  best  under  the 
circumstances,  both  for  preachers  and  peo- 
ple. It  gave  many  congregations  the  means 
of  holding  an  occasional  meeting  and  inquir- 
ers an  opportunity  of  hearing  the  truth,  at 
the  same  time  that  the  young  preacher  was 
acquiring    experience.      Societies    incurred 


92  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

little  expense,  and  preachers  prevented  from 
reading  books,  studied  human  nature  under 
aspects,  which  never  could  have  been  con- 
templated in  any  other  way.  The  mission 
of  such  a  minister,  is  emphatically  to  all  the 
world.  Unfettered  bv  the  local  considera- 
tions  and  attachments  of  the  settled  pastor — 
the  itinerant  feels  an  independence,  and  ex- 
presses himself  with  a  freedom  and  boldness, 
that  would  startle  or  astonish  the  servant  of 
a  congregation.  This  therefore  is  the  field 
in  which  germinated  that  species  of  charac- 
ter, for  which  some  of  the  preachers  of  the 
denomination,  are  still  distinguished;  and 
which  W'hatever  their  worth,  renders  them 
more  the  objects  of  respect  than  of  esteem. 
But  while  destitute  and  feeble  congrega- 
tions were  assisted  and  often  established  and 
built  up  by  the  instrumentality  of  an  itine- 
rant ministry — the  real  wants  of  such  preach- 
ers were  sometimes  overlooked  and  neg- 
lected. Many  of  the  older  preachers  of 
Universalism,  expended  in  travelling  to  fill 
their  appointments,  all  that  they  received. 
Others  who  had  it  to  spare — freely  devoted 
the  gatherings  of  previous  years  of  toil;  and 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  98 

reduced  themselves  to  poverty.  And  often 
have  theso  men.  travelled  the  long,  weary 
day,  unre freshed,  from  ''early  daw^n  to  latest 
eve,"  to  reach  the  place  of  their  appoint- 
ment. Poorly  clad  and  poorly  sustained — 
who  can  wonder  that  they  were  unknown 
by  the  world! 

PROSPECTS. 

The  writer  continued  his  studies  as  far  as 
practicable;  and  his  ministry  by  occasional 
appointments  in  the  vicinity  of  his  residence. 
He  did  not  desire  a  settlement — preached 
mostly  in  places  where  no  organization  had 
been  effected  by  the  believers — and  occasion- 
ally supplied  the  desk  for  the  clergyman 
whose  hospitality  gave  him  a  home,  w^hen  he 
found  it  convenient  to  preach  abroad.  His 
ministrations  w^ere  certainly  felt,  and  no 
doubt  believed  by  others,  to  be  of  a  very  in- 
ferior order;  and  leaving  him  little  encour- 
agement of  success  in  new  places,  and  noth- 
ing to  hope  from  societies  which  could  com- 
mand better  talents  and  abler  services.  It 
is  not  very  difficult,  to  form  an  idea  of  the 
situation    and    prospects    of    a  young   man^ 


94  HISTORICAL   SKPJTCHES. 

thrown  among  strangers,  and  to  a  great  ex- 
tent, dependent  upon    their   sympathies  and 
charities;  and   who,   while   he   labored   and 
travelled  much,  and   preached  nearly  every 
Sunday — did  not  receive  enough  to  pay  his 
board  and  defray  his    travelling  expenses. — 
Why   he  did   not   become    utterly  disheart- 
ened— why,  when  poverty,  and  neglect,  and 
contumely,  lay  before  him  and  spread  them- 
selves over    most  of  the  future — he  did  not 
yield  to  despair, there  is  but  one  reason  short 
of  invoking  a  divine  purpose — he  felt,  and  he 
believed,  that    he  must   preach  the  gospel  of 
reconciliation.     And  at  times — in  defiance  of 
the  darkness  and  dreariness  of  the  prospect 
gleams   of  light   would  sometimes   throw  a 
radiance  over  what  la,y  in  the  distance;  and 
hope  would   lay   hold   on    the  promise  that 
truth  must  prevail.     How  fally  that  hope  has 
been   verified,  can  be   inferred  from  the  al- 
most miraculous   progress  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  restitution    during  the  last  thirty  years. 
In  the  State  of  New  York  alone,  the  number 
of  Societies  has  increased  in  that  time,  from 
less  than    ten,  to  nearly    three  hundred — and 
instead  of  some  six  or  seven  jveaehers,  there 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHEft'.  9^ 

are  now  more  than  twenty  times  that  number 
— all  better  prepared  for  their  duties;  and  all 
far  better  sustained. 

YOUNG  PREACHERS. 

It  has  long  been  a  subject  of  frequent  re- 
mark, that  Universahsts  were  particularly 
indisposed  to  encourage  young  preachers. — 
And  that  unkind  neglects  and  discourage- 
ments have  sometimes  occurred,  can  neither 
be  doubled  nor  denied.  But  as  one,  who 
has  probably  felt,  as  well  as  observed  the  na- 
ture of  this  charge  in  all  its  common  bear- 
ings— I  am  induced  to  believe  that  the  evil 
complained  of,  lies  rather  in  the  condition  of 
the  preacher,  than  in  the  community.  It 
not  only  may,  but  it  ought  to  be  asked — what 
the  public  has  a  right  to  expect  from  a  young 
man  who  assumes  the  character  of  a  minis- 
ter of  religion?  From  the  very  nature  of 
his  profession — it  expects  that  he  will  pos- 
sess a  respectable  education — that  he  has 
seen  enough  of  mankind,  to  be  able  to  ac- 
commodate himself  to  the  conventional  hab- 
its and  customs  of  society — and  that  he  is  so 
far   theoretically   at  least,    acquainted  with 


9fi  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

his  professional  duties,  as  to  be  able  to  acquit 
himself  respectably  on  all  ordinary  occa- 
sions. 

But  those  who  have  given  the  subject  an}^ 
attention,  will  not — cannot  pretend,  that  the 
young  men  who  formerly  entered  the  minis- 
try, were  generally  in  a  condition — were 
quahfied,  to  meet  these  expectations.  So  far 
from  it — they  were  in  a  great  majority  of  in- 
stances, very  destitute  of  education — were 
greatly  deficient  in  the  knowledge  of  men 
and  things,  and  were  almost  entire  strangers 
to  theology  as  a  science,  as  well  as  to  their 
own  need  of  its  instructions.  They  knew 
and  believed  the  truth — could  sustain  it  by 
sound  and  sensible  arguments;  and  prove  it 
by  innumerable  quotations  from  scripture. — 
Here  their  strength  lay — here  began  and 
ended  their  studies,  and  their  theological 
knowledge. 

It  was  not  in  the  nature  of  things,  that 
young  men  so  situated — whatever  might  be 
their  intellectual  and  moral  worth — should  be 
always  well  received,  or  encouraged.  It 
was  necessary  that  they  should  be  known  to 
be  appreciated — and  being  forced  to  itinerate 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  97 

almost  constantly — it  was  impossible  that 
they  should  be  known.  And  as  a  natural 
consequence,  the  person  who  felt  himself  neg- 
lected or  abused  by  those  to  whom  he  looked 
for  countenance — would  neither  act  nor 
preach  with  the  freedom  which  he  would 
otherwise  have  done.  Thus  his  embarrass- 
ments w^ould  be  increased,  and  his  difficulties 
and  hardships  multiplied.  As  an  illustration: 
A  young  man  after  travelling  nearly  fifty 
miles  to  fill  an  appointment  which  had  been 
requested;  and  preaching  three  sermons  on 
the  Sunday,  was  presented  with  about  otie 
dollar  and  twenty-jive  cents — the  gentleman 
who  presented  it,  deliberately  remarking 
that  "there  w^as  but  little  of  it,  but  it  was 
probably  worth  as  much  as  the  preaching!" 
This  might  have  been  true  to  the  letter;  but 
there  was  both  cruelty  and  meanness  in  its 
expression.  Nor  is  it  any  mitigation  of  either, 
that  the  man  lived  to  think  differently  on  the 
subject.  As  a  matter  of  course,  the  preacher 
never  visited  that  society  again — and  never 
forgot  the  pain  that  the  insult  gave  him, 
when  of  all  other  periods  of  his  life,  he  most 
needed  counsel  and  kindness. 
9 


98  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

In  view  of  these  facts  and  considerations, 
it  cannot  be  matter  of  surprise,  that  Univer- 
sahsm  progressed  but  slowly;  and  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  appeared  to  exert  but  Httle  influ- 
ence over  the  pubHc  mind.  The  wonder  is — 
that  under  the  circumstances,  it  moved  for- 
ward so  steadily  and  successfully  as  it  did. — 
For  it  not  only  combatted  single  handed,  the 
whole  concentrated  mass  of  religious  preju- 
dice and  corruption;  but  it  encountered  and 
to  some  extent  discomfitted  the  learned, 
without  any  pretension  to  science.  And 
there  is  not  probably  in  the  history  of  reli- 
gion, a  parallel — except  in  the  estabhshment 
of  Christianity,  when  a  few  obscure  and  il- 
literate Fishermen  from  the  sea  of  Tiberias, 
won  converts  among  the  religious  Jews — 
overthrew  the  philosophical  theories  of  con- 
flicting sects  and  annihilated  the  ''wisdom  of 
the  world."  In  both  cases,  the  reasons  of 
success  are  the  same — the  simplicity  and  in- 
telligibility of  the  truth.  Nothing  else  can 
account  for  the  ever  widening  and  growing 
power  which  accompanied  the  propagation  of 
primitive  Christianity — nothing  but  this, could 
have  sent  abroad  the  influence  of  Universal- 
ism  with  similar  certainty  and  success. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  99 

The  religious  world  was  high-minded  and 
spiritually  proud.     A  large  proportion  of  the 
clergymen  of  the  different  sects,  were  doubt- 
less sincere  and  good  men,  as  they  certainly 
were  well  educated;  and  their   influence,   of 
w^hich  they  were   abundantly    sensible,   was 
almost  complete,  over  the  public  mind.    Men 
of  talents,  of  reputation,  of  elevated  station, 
.of  learning  and  taste,  could   hardly  venture 
with  safety,  either  to  hear  or  profess  a  doc- 
trine so  generally    obnoxious,   so   much    de- 
spised, and  so  universally  condemned.     And 
then — when  on  some  occasion  or  pretence, 
they  did  attend  a  Universalist  meeting — how 
were  all  their  ideas  of  con^ruitv  shocked! — 
The  place,  either  a  loft  in  some  unoccupied 
building — or,  a  school  house  where  the  hear- 
ers w^ere  huddled  together  in  smoke  and  dirt 
— or,  perchance  a  barn,  in  which  the  farm- 
cattle  would  next  congregate!    Turning  their 
eyes  from  the  place,  upon  the  preacher,  they 
saw  a   plain,  unlettered,    and  usually  poorly 
dressed   man — green  in    youth,  or    toil  and 
care  worn  in  middle    ac^e — brown   with  ex- 
posure  and  covered  with  the  spots  and  dust 
accumulated  in  travelling.     But  we  are  ut- 


100        HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

terly  incompetent  to  finish  the  picture.  The 
original  must  have  been  seen,  or  the  imagin- 
ation must  fail  of  a  just  appreciation  of  the 
subject. 

No  matter  how  gifted  by  nature,  how 
sound  his  arguments,  or  how  well  sustained 
by  the  authority  of  revelation — such  a 
preacher,  so  situated,  could  not  be,  and  w^as 
not  considered  to  be,  on  a  footing  of  equality 
with  others  of  the  clerical  profession.  It 
was  then,  the  power  of  naked  and  unadorned 
truth,  that  wrought  the  mighty  and  growing- 
change  which,  has  been  and  is  now  being 
effected  in  favor  of  a  world's  salvation. — 
Such  is  the  "word  of  faith,"  preached  by 
UniversaKsts. 

But  we  may  safely  appeal  to  the  general 
conduct  of  societies,  for  evidence  of  a  pre- 
vailing readiness  to  extend  every  encourage- 
ment to  all  those  w4iom  they  deemed  compe- 
tent to  meet  the  public  expectations.  A  very 
large  proportion  of  our  present  preachers 
are  comparatively  young  men;  and  they  at 
least,  have  little  reason  to  complain  of  the 
countenance  and  support  of  the  denomina- 
tion.    And  the  reason  is  plain — they  are  bet- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  101 

ter  prepared,  by  higher  quahfications  to  sus- 
tain the  responsibihties  and  perform  the  im- 
portant duties  of  their  profession. 

A  correct  notion  may  be  formed  of  the 
feehng  of  friends,  in  relation  to  this  subject, 
from  the  following  conversation  which  took 
place  but  a  few  years  since.  An  intelligent 
and  devoted  Universalist  layman,  residing  in 
one  of  the  western  States,  was  asked  why 
certain  preachers,  known  to  be  in  his  vicinity, 
were  not  more  encouraged?  He  replied — 
"  That  is  impossible.  I  am  not  very  difficult 
myself;  but  when  a  man  professing  to  be  a 
clergyman,  appears  in  the  garb,  and  with  the 
address  suited  to  any  and  every  thing  but  a 
minister,  it  is  really  quite  as  much  as  I  can 
do  to  introduce  him  to  respectable  opposers, 
as  one  of  our  preachei's.  And  it  is  enough 
to  choke  one,  to  be  saluted  among  strangers, 
with — 'How  are  you,  Br.  G. — how  are  the 
folks — hungry  for  the  gospel,  eh? — Well, 
where  am  I  to  preach,  to-night? — O,  where 
shall  I  put  my  horse?'  Nothing  short  of  the 
special  grace  of  God,  can  give  us  prosperity 
under  such  auspices.  These  men  may,  and 
indeed  they  do,  preach  well;  and  they  are 
9* 


102  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

» 

good  and  wise  men;  but  with  tiieir  inatten- 
tion to  the  habits  and  courtesies  of  society, 
they  never  can  greatly  advance  the  interests 
of  our  cause.  No — send  us  men  of  equal 
worth,  of  equal  talents,  with  better  social 
tastes  and  habits,  and  we  will  engage  to  give 
a  good  account  of  the  progress  of  Univer- 
salism." 

LIBERALITY    AND    PREJUDICE. 

It  is  not  uncommon  to  find  persons  of  much 
intelligence  and  great  moral  worth,  who  as- 
sociate the  grossest  and  silliest  prejudices 
wath  sound  religious  principles.  This  is 
sometimes  the  result  of  simple  inattention 
but  more  generally  proceeds  from  a  habit 
of  contemplating  a  subject  in  one  point  of 
view,  or  through  a  false  medium.  And  with 
all  their  moral  worth,  there  is  scarcely  a  sect 
among  us,  which  oftener  falls  into  this  eirOr 
and  betrays  its  effects  with  more  certainty, 
than  the  Friends  or  Quakers.  The  original 
disgusts  and  dislikes  of  their  founders,  are 
still  cherished  with  most  unflinching  .pertina- 
city, while  they  have  found  it  necessary  or 
expedient,  to  do  by  indirect  means,  the  very 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  103 

things  which  they  condemn.  We  say  nothing 
of  the  sober  color,  or  antiquated  fashion  of 
their  dress — nor  of  the  obsolete  terms  of 
speech  persevered  in  with  Jewish  determina- 
tion nnder  every  change  in  the  idiom  of  the 
language.  These,  however  absurd  or  ridicu- 
lous, arc  still  very  harmless  affairs;  and  like 
the  common  ^ 'stake  and  stones,"  though  not 
very  sightly,  may  serve  as  the  intelligi- 
ble land  marks  by  which  to  distinguish  their 
boundaries.  We  refer  to  a  reprehensible  big- 
otry respecting  all  preachers,  except  their 
own. 

Not  a  hundred  miles  from  Providence, 
R.  I.  and  among  a  host  of  near  and  remote 
relatives  of  all  faiths  and  no  faith,  an  ap- 
pointment was  made  for  an  afternoon  lec- 
ture. While  waiting  for  the  hour  of  service, 
at  the  house  of  a  Quaker  sister,  she  said  with 
great  kindness  of  voice  and  manner — "S. — " 
(the  christian  name  of  course) — "S. — I  shall 
not  go  to  thy  meeting." 

Preacher — "Pray  Sister — why  not  go  to 
hear  me  preach?     It  is  but  a  short  distance. 

Quakeress — "It  is  not  the  dist^ce  but  I 
cannot  go  to  thy  meeting," 


104  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES. 

P.  ^Well  Sister,  you  must  act  for  your' 
self.  Have  you  any  personal  reasons  for 
your  refusal?" 

Q.  *'0  no;  I  have  full  confidence  in  thy 
sincerity,  because  thee  has  chosen  an  unpop- 
ular creed,  and  I  believe  thee  to  be  a  good 
man." 

P.  'What  is  it  theni  Is  it  because  you 
are  so  much  opposed  to  my  opinions,  that 
you  M^ill  not  hear  your  brother  preach  the 
doctrine  of  Universal  Salvation?" 

Q.  "No;  thee. is  right  in  thy  doctrine;  for 
the  good  God  can  never  make  his  children 
miserable  to  ail  eternity.  I  cannot  hear  thee 
preach,  because  like  others,  thee  receives 
money  for  preaching!"  And  she  kept  her 
word  by  staying  at  home. 

It  never  occurred  to  her  mind,  that  the  way 
in  which  the  preachers,  or  "public  Friends," 
of  her  own  denomination  were  provided  for, 
^was  as  properly  and  quite  as  fully  a  money 
matter,  as  it  could  be  among  Universahsts. 
She  could  not  perceive,  that  giving  them 
travelling  expenses,  clothing,  a  horse;  or 
even  paying  a  man  for  carrying  on  their  or- 
dinary business  while  they  were  abroad  on 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHESU  105 

a  preaching  excursion — had  any  thing  to  do 
with  receiving  pay  for  preaching!  And  she 
would  at  that  moment,  have  given  any  one 
of  them,  more  aid  in  money  or  apparel,  than 
her  brother  who  called  things  by  their  pro- 
per names,  had  received  during  the  whole 
year  in  which  he  had  preached  the  recon- 
cihation. 

A  MISTAKE. 

Mr.  Carrique,  with  whom  the  writer  resi- 
ded at  the  time,  occasionally  went  abroad  to 
a  Sunday  appointment.  Sometime  in  the 
summer  of  1814;  he  was  urged  to  make  an 
appointment,  at  the  distance  of  some  forty 
miles,  at  his  earhest  convenience.  This  he 
accordingly  did;  but  when  the  time  arrived, 
the  indisposition  of  his  family  prevented  him 
from  attending.  And  as  in  all  similar  cases 
•^made  and  provided."  the  preaching  student 
was  sent  with  an  introduction  to  the  proper 
authorities — an  explanation  of  the  causes  of 
the  disappointment — and  an  assurance  that 
the  messenger  was  an  accredited  minister, 
and  most  worthy  [young  man.  Fastidious- 
ness itself  could   hardly  hesitate  under  all 


106  HISTORICAL  SKETCHEff^ 

this;  and  he  was  received  with  all  imagina- 
ble courtesy  and.  kindness. 

Sunday  morning  came,  the  congregation 
poured  in  from  all  quarters,  and  soon  filled 
the  house.  The  speaker  made  his  apology 
for  his  appearance  instead  of  the  gentleman 
invited — commenced  the  services,  and  deliv- 
ered a  decidedly  doctrinal  discourse.  At  the 
close  of  service,  he  was  introduced  to  a  dea- 
con of  the  Baptist  church  m  that  place;  and  by 
him  invited  to  spend  the  intermission  at  his 
house.  This  was  accordingly  done,  in  compa- 
ny with  several  gentleman  and  ladies — most- 
ly Baptists.  Their  cordiality  and  great  liber- 
ality were  matters  of  surprise;  but  as  it  was 
presumed  that  opposers  were  not  necessarily 
bigots,  no  remarks  were  made  on  the  subject.  • 

This  friendly  party  accompanied  the  speak- 
er to  church,  in  the  afternoon.  During  the 
service,  the  gentleman  on  whom  he  had  at 
first  called,  and  who  was  a  practisng  phy- 
cician,  was  called  out,  and  did  not  return 
until  the  congregation  had  dispersed.  When 
lie  entered  his  home,  it  was  evident  that  the 
good  doctor  had  met  with  some  pleasing  ad- 
venture.    He  had  encountered  the  deacon^  of 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  107 

\^'hom  he  had  enquired — how  he  was  grati- 
fied, and  what  he  thought  of  the  young 
preacher? — The  deacon  had  been  in  some 
respects,  very  well  pleased — thought  the 
young  man  would  as  he  gained  confidence, 
and  experience,  and  perhaps  wisdom,  im- 
prove and  become  useful — that  he  was  Cer- 
tainly very  sociable,  which  was  pretty  good 
promise  that  he  would  become  a  tolerable 
speaker — but  it  was  to  he  feared  that  he  loas 
inclining;  to  Universalism! 

This  was  too  much  for  the  doctor.  He 
roared  outright,  and  laughed  'till  the  house 
rang  again.  As  soon  as  he  recovered  his 
composure  and  his  breath — 'there'  said  he 
'there,  you  have  the  proof  that  preposession 
resists  the  evidence  of  the  senses.  You  told 
that  man  and  the  congregation  that  you 
were  a  Universalist — you  preached  Univer- 
salism to  them,  and  yet,  they  continued  to 
believe,  in  defiance  of  all  you  preached  and 
all  you  could  say,  that  you  were  a  Baptist! 

The  truth  of  the  matter  was  this — It  was 
a  Baptist  Church  destitute  of  a  pastor — the 
gentleman  who  had  given  the  invitation  and 
through  whose  instrumentality   the  appoint- 


108  HISTORICAL  SKETCHE^ 

ment  had  been  made,  was  one  of  the  commit' 
tee  for  supplying  the  desk.  He  was  a  Uni- 
versaHst;  and  availed  himself  of  hisposition^ 
to  give  the  church  a  Sunday's  preaching  by- 
one  of  his  own  faith.  Notice  had  accord- 
ingly been  given,  that  the  desk  would  be 
supplied  that  day — but  none  save  a  few 
friends  knew  by  whom,  it  being  taken  for 
granted,  that  it  would  be  by  a  Baptist.  The 
deacon  and  the  whole  church  therefore,  re- 
ceived the  young  man  as  their  candidate. — 
And  he  in  all  simolicity  and  without  the  least 
consciousness  of  the  state  of  thmgs,  had 
been  deliberately  tricked  into  a  gross  and  au- 
dacious imposition.  The  author  of  this  farce, 
had  the  candor  to  assume  the  responsibihty 
that  really  belonged  to  him;  and  the  affair 
was  suffered  to  pass  over  in  quiet.  Can  it 
be  matter  of  surprise,  that  such  manoeuvres 
should  bring  contempt  and  even  abhorrence, 
upon  a  cause  which  they  w^ere  designed  to 
favor?  And  is  it  to  be  wondered  at — that 
those  who  will  condescend  to  employ  such 
means,  should  be  regarded  as  destitute  of 
true  religious  dignity,  and  christian  princi- 
ples? 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  109 

THE  FUNERAL. 

There  were  two  neighbors  residing  in 
central  New  York,  both  merilbers  of  a  small 
Presbyterian  society;  and  both  had  reached 
that  period  of  life,  when  they  were  distin- 
guished as  old  77ien.  A  death  had  occurred 
in  the  family  of  a  mutual  friend,  and  accord- 
ing to  immemorial  custom,  every  neighbor, 
and  especially  the  friends  of  the  mourners, 
were  expected  at  the  funeral.  But  what  was 
to  be  done?  The  funeral  discourse  was  to  be 
delivered  by  a  Umversalist  minister— r-for- 
merly  a  Baptist  Elder,  and  but  recently  con- 
verted to  the  faith  of  the  restitution.  It  was 
of  course,  a  matter  of  general  wonder  and 
regret,  that  a  Universalist  should  be  called  to 
officiate  on  such  an  occasion;  and  particu-^ 
larly  so  in  this  instance,  as  there  existed  a 
species  of  indignation  against  the  Elder  for 
having  abandoned  his  former  faith  and  reli- 
gious connections.  For  as  things  then  were, 
it  was  not  very  unnatural  to  suppose,  that 
such  a  man  was  far  gone  in  mental  depravity, 
and  that  the  next  step  would  be  to  commit 
some  daring  outrage  against  social  order  and 
moral  virtue.  10 


110  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

Full  of  these  impressions  and  apprehefi* 
sions,  one  of  these  old  men,  after  much  anx- 
ious deliberation  resolved  to  attend  the  fu- 
neral. His  way  lay  directly  by  the  resi- 
dence of  his  Presbyterian  brother,  whom  he 
found  busy  with  some  trifling  matter,  and 
quite  out  of  temper;  when  in  substance,  the 
following  conversation  occurred: 

1st.  Presbyterian — "Good  morning  Br. 
E. — ,  why,  it  is  time  you  were  ready  to  at- 
tend the  funeral." 

2d  Pres. — ''  The  funeral!  Humph — I  sup- 
pose it  is;  but  I  sha'nt  go." 

1st  Pres. — ^'  Not  attend  the  funeral  of  our 
neighbors,  at  this  busy  season,  w^hen  many 
cannot  go — and  you  and  I. have  little  to  hin- 
der us!     I  am  surprised  at  you." 

2d  Pres.— ''Well,  I  sha'nt  go— 'Let  the 
dead  bury  their  dead.'  " 

1st  Pres. — "But  why  not  gol  What  rea- 
son have  you  for  staying  at  home]" 

2d  Pres. — "There  is  reason  enough.  Do 
you  suppose  that  /  will  go  and  hear  a  Uni- 
versalist  preach  a  funeral  sermon?  What 
can  he  say  on  such  an  occasion?  You  may 
go,  if  you  hke — but  /  shall  not  attend.' ' 


m 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES  111 

1st  Pres. — "I  do  not  know  what  he  will 
say;  but  I  have  thought  the  matter  over, 
and  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is  my  duty 
to  go  and  see  my  deceased  neighbor  decently 
buried.  I  am  not  bound  to  believe  what  I 
hear;  but  if  any  good  is  said,  I  can  receive 
it,  even  when  said  by  a  Universalist.  I 
would  therefore  go  if  the  Devil  himself, 
preached!" 

This  was  enough.  The  objector  hastily 
prepared  to  accompany  his  friend — listened 
most  attentively  to  the  discourse,  and  if  he 
was  not  converted,  he  was  certainly  very 
much  gratified.  And  from  that  day  for- 
ward while  he  lived,  notwithstanding  the  ob- 
loquy attached  to  the  doctrine,  he  seldom 
failed  to  attend  the  meeting  of  Universalists 
when  so  near  as  to  meet  his  convenience. — 
Few  friends  of  the  truth,  filled  their  places 
in  the  congregation  more  regularly  or  cer- 
tainly than  this  aged  Presbyterian.  Whether 
he  ever  uttered  an  expression  from  which 
any  change  in  his  views  could  be  inferred, 
is  not  known;  but  his  conduct  gave  abund- 
ant proof,  that  he  had  outlived  his  prejudices, 
and  that  he  felt  a  decided  interest  in  the  doc- 


112  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

trine  of  Universal  salvation.  His  liberality 
was  of  far  more  consequence  than  he  ever 
supposed.  His  connections  were  both  nu- 
merous and  respectable;  and  seeing  him 
frankly  approve,  and  openly  attend  on  the 
preaching  of  Universalism;  they  felt  that 
they  might,  and  they  accordingly  did,  do 
the  same,  with  similar  independence.  It  will 
be  difficult  for  many  at  this  day,  to  form  an 
idea  of  the  value  of  the  influence  exerted  by 
an  individual  under  such  circumstances. — 
And  they  can  only  form  a  proper  estimate, 
by  recollecting  that  it  was  the  infancy  of  the 
cause — that  it  had  but  few  friends — that 
these  friends  were  prevented  from  giving 
their  countenance  and  aid,  by  every  means 
which  sectarian  power,  policy  and  ingenuity 
could  devise  and  apply — and  that  all  these 
things  out  of  the  question,  the  friends  of 
Universalism  were  not  always,  nor  often 
very  wealthy  or  influential.  It  was  there- 
fore, a  matter  of  equal  surprise  and  gratifi- 
cation, to  find  one  in  the  ranks  of  opposers, 
whose  example  was  full  of  charity,  and 
whose  influence  was  both  desirable  and  bene- 
ficial. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  113 


REV.  EBENEZER  LESTER. 

This  gentleman  was  from  the  vicinity  of 
Norwich,  Conn.,  and  commenced  the  min- 
istry at  an  advanced  age.  Where,  or  how 
long,  he  had  preached  the  reconcihation,  is 
not  known.  But  a  kind  Providence  sent  him 
in  1814,  to  the  destitute  society  in  Whites- 
town,  at  a  time  when  all  other  resources 
seemed  unav^ailino^.  Like  many  others  off  ^, 
his  time,  his  views  were  strongly  tinctured  '^ 
with  the  prevaihng  orthodoxy;  and  in  clear 
and  comprehensive  perception  of  the  doc- 
trinal simpHcity  of  Universalism,  he  was  far 
behind  the  majority  of  his  congregation. — 
He  entertained  some  of  the  distinguishing 
doctrines  of  Mr.  J.  Relly — but  his  favorite 
theme  was  the  saint's  reign  with  Christ  of  a 
1000  years.  He  had  a  passion  for  this  sub- 
ject. And  he  probably  never  preached  a 
sermon,  nor  discoursed  with  his  friends  even 
for  a  few  minutes  without  obtruding  its  con- 
sideration and  urging  its  importance.  This, 
he  seemed  to  regard,  as  the  legitimate  end 
and  aim  of  all  faith  and  all  good  works;  and 
10*  M 


114  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

he  enforced  it  for   the   same  reasons   that 
others  do  eternal  rewards. 

Mr.  Lester  was  of  course,  more  in  favor 
with  opposers  of  the  restitution,  than  was 
the  common  lot  of  his  ministering  brethren. 
And  while  the  principal  membei's  of  his  con- 
gregation derived  little  instruction  or  edifi- 
cation from  his  sermons — he  attracted  others 
to  his  meetings  and  was  the  instrument  of 
uniting  them  to  the  church.  His  services 
were  in  this  way,  productive  of  manifest  and 
substantial  good.  His  age — his  trembling 
limbs — his  solemn  and  dignified  decorum,  all 
combined  to  impress  his  hearers  with  vene- 
ration for  the  man;  and  to  inspire  respect 
for  his  sentiments.  He  never  united  with 
the  denomination;  though  he  asked  and  re- 
ceived in  1815,  ordination,  at  the  hands  of  a 
Council  of  his  own  selection,  composed  of 
members  of  the  Western  Association.  He 
was  then  ministering  to  the  Lombard  street 
Society  in  Philadelphia;  from  which  place, 
at  the  expiration  of  the  year,  he  returned 
to  Connecticut,  where  he  ended  his  days  in 
peace  and  in  the  triumphs  of  universal 
grace. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  115 

WESTERN    ASSOCIATION. 

No  societies  were  this  year  added  to  the 
fellowship  of  the  denomination — but  the  ac- 
cessions to  the  ministry  were  unusually  large 
and  encouraging.  One  clergyman,  Mr.  I. 
Root,  a  man  of  strong  talents,  clear  views, 
and  great  personal  worth,  was  present  at  the 
session,  and  in  the  course  of  the  season,  lo- 
cated at  what  is  now  Mottville,  Onondaga 
County.  He  was  known  as  an  able  co- 
worker in  the  cause  of  truth;  and  his  estab- 
lishment in  the  country  was  justly  regarded 
as  a  new  guaranty  of  the  prosperity  of  Uni- 
versalism.  Nor  were  these  expectations  dis- 
appointed— but  by  his  dealh  which  took 
place  about  three  years  afterwards.  He 
was  from  Maine,where  it  is  believed  that  he 
once  preached  in  connection  with  the  Bap- 
tists. 

Mr.  W.  Underwood  had  preached  among 
the  Free  Will  Baptists,  some  twelve  or  four- 
teen years;  but  being  brought  to  test  the 
proofs  of  his  creed  by  the  standard  of  scrip- 
ture, he  felt  constrained  to  abandon  his  for- 
mer views  and  embrace  UniversaHsm.     He 


116  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

was  a  grave,  mild  and  timid  man,  forever 
fearful  of  advancing  a  step  too  far,  or  before 
the  time.  He  retained  many  of  the  pecu- 
liarities of  the  Baptists — 'especially  that  phra- 
seology and  manner  for  which  they  were 
formerly  distinguished,  and  not  a  few  of 
their  prejudices.  For  many  years,  he  would 
recognize  nothing  but  baptism  by  immersion, 
as  the  proper  initiatory  rite  of  admission  to 
the  church— and  he  could  scarcely  prevail 
on  himself  to  admit  that  any  person  was 
truly  converted,  who  had  not  hke  himself, 
felt  all  the  horrors  of  reprobation.  And  he 
was  so  apprehensive  of  unnecessarily  woun- 
ding the  feelings,  or  of  exciting  the  hostility 
of  opposers,  that  while  he  desired  with  all 
his  heart  to  advance  the  interests  of  Univer- 
salism,  he  was  by  many  considered  rather  as 
the  apologist,  than  the  decided  advocate  of 
that  doctrine. 

This  timidity  materially  affected  the  suc- 
cess of  the  ministry,  and  the  usefulness  of 
Mr,  Underwood.  By  many  of  the  more 
hardy  members  of  the  societies,  he  was  re- 
garded and  treated  as  too  condescending  and 
temporising;  while  opposers  often  took   ad- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  117 

vantage  of  his  concessions,  to  misrepresent, 
abuse  and  scandalize  him.  So  that  tho.u.ijh 
honored  and  esteemed  generally  by  his  min- 
istering brethren,  he  was  never  appreciated, 
nor  popular  with  the  denomination.  His 
sermons  always  evinced  a  strong  and  sincere 
desire  to  promote  the  moral  and  religious  in- 
terests of  his  hearers;  and  while  he  was  far 
from  being  an  enthusiast,  he  was  anxious  to 
witness  the  growth  of  a  devotional  spirit 
among  his  brethren.  He  knew  the  worth, 
and  felt  the  power  of  the  gospel;  and  it  was  S 
his  ardent  prayer,  and  the  constant  aim  of  his 
life,  to  make  men  religious  rather  than  dog- 
matical. He  died  in  the  full  faith  of  the  res- 
titution— closing  an  honored  hfe  in  submis- 
sion and  peace.  And  although  his  labors 
were  neither  the  most  arduous,  nor  abun- 
dant, they  were  worthy  of  the  respect  and 
gratitude  of  the  denomination. 

Another  convert  from  the  Baptists,  Mr.  I. 
Whitnal,  received  a  Letter  of  Fellowship  at 
this  session  of  the  Association.  He  was  a 
singular  compound  of  good  sense  and  oddity, 
capriciousness  and  candor,  levity  and  devo- 
tion; but  with  all  his  humor  and  eccentricity, 


118  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

he  was  an  upright  man  and  a  sincere  chris- 
tian. And  those  whose  tastes  were  not  too 
greatly  shocked  by  his  first  appearance,  soon 
learned  on  acquaintance,  to  appreciate  and 
esteem  him.  He  w^as  not  a  very  uniform 
preacher, — that  is,  his  sermons  were  not  al- 
ways equally  good;  but  they  were  delivered 
with  much  earnestness  and  power,  and  com- 
monly evinced  much  thought,  with  very 
little  regard  to  arrangement.  They  were  in 
one  respect  pre-eminent — they  were  never 
cold  and  monotonous;  and  were  so  replete 
w^ith  point  and  antithesis  as  to  attract  and 
fix  the  attention  of  the  hearer.  And  when 
he  appeared,  as  he  sometimes  did,  dressed  in 
a  complete  suit  of  iDhite — to  those  who  knew 
him  and  knew  his  solid  worth,  he  seemed  as 
dignified  as  some  others  of  much  greater 
pretensions,  in  lolmte  lawn. 

Mr.  Whitnal  was  a  terror  toopposers;  for 
he  literally  questioned  them  out  of  their  po- 
sitions, and  out  of  their  senses.  And  while 
he  excited  violent  outbreaks  of  indignation 
in  others — -he  was  himself,  most  provokingly 
pleasant  and  undisturbed.  The  following  is 
a  case  in  point — Having  accompanied  a  friend 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  119 

to  tea,  whose  wife  was  bitterly  opposed  to 
the  doctrine  of  the  restitution — he  was  as- 
sailed in  a  manner  that  would  probably  have 
spoiled  the  social  comfort  of  almost  any 
other  man  for  a  season.  The  lady  made 
many  rude  and  impertinent  remarks,  to  which 
he  rejoined  in  his  accustomed  caustic  and 
cavalier  manner — wounding  her  pride,  and 
provoking  her  by  the  severity  of  his  rebukes. 
At  length  losing  all  patience,  she  seized  a 
large  knife  with  one  hand,  and  his  collar 
with  the  other,  and  brandished  the  weapon 
about  his  throat  and  face.  With  perfect 
self-command,  he  looked  at  the  enraged 
woman  and  said  with  great  pleasantry — 
*'Strike,  ma'am,  I  am  probably  as  ready  to 
die  now,  as  I  shall  ever  be."  This  com- 
pletely disarmed  her — she  perceived  the 
rashness  and  violence  of  her  conduct,  and 
afterwards  treated  him  with  courtesy  and 
respect. 

Although  Mr.  Whitnal  sometimes  indulged 
his  propensity  to  joke,  both  out  of  season  and 
out  of  place — and  thereby  impaired  his  influ- 
ence as  a  clergyman;  yet  he  commonly 
chose  his  time   well,  and   let  fly   his  shafts 


Ji 


120  HISTOUICAL    r?KETCHES. 

with  great  effect.  And  if  in  the  course  of  a 
sermon,  any  thing  occurred  that  could  fur- 
nish capital,  he  was  morally  certain  to  turn 
it  to  account  by  some  pungent  remark.  As 
one  among  a  thousand  instances,  the  follow- 
ing is  a  sample.  He  was  preaching  some- 
where in  the  country — when  a  lady  after 
fidgeting  and  exhibiting  signs  of  great  con- 
tempt and  disgust,rose  and  pompously  walked 
to  the  door.  While  this  was  doing,  he  stop- 
ped, fixed  his  keen  look  upon  the  retiring  fa- 
natic and  said — ''See,  when  the  gospel  fan 
goes,  how  the  chaff  flies." 

But  he  did  not  always  joke.  He  was  re- 
ally much  in  earnest;  and  occasionally  apos- 
trophised with  most  impressive  effect.  For 
whether  grave  or  gay,  he  threw  his  whole 
soul  into  his  expression;  and  overwhelmed 
his  auditors  with  laughter,  or  with  the  deep- 
est feehngs  of  awe  and  veneration.  Preach- 
ing once  in  a  large  hall,  which  was  unfin- 
ished and  open  to  the  roof;  an  opposer  left 
the  meeting,  and  in  a  few  moments  a  heavy 
stone  was  thrown  upon  the  roof  directly 
over  his  head.  He  stopped,  lifted  his  hands, 
and  said  in   a   supplicating  tone — '^Father, 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  121 

forgive  them;  for  they  know  not  what  they 
do."  The  effect  was  instantaneous — and  the 
congregation  burst  into  tears. 

HOW  TO    FORM  AN  ACQUAINTANCE. 

The  session  of  the  Association  was  held 
this  year  in  Homer,  Cortland  Co.,  and  the 
journey  of  about  seventy  miles,  was  made 
on  horseback  by  our  company,  which  con- 
sisted of  several  preachers  and  lay-delegates. 
On  the  day  preceeding  the  session — a  genu- 
ine Spring  day — damp,  dreary,  with  a  per- 
severingly  steady  and  chilling  wind,  we  trav^ 
elled  some  forty  miles  over  a  detestable  road. 
It  would  give  but  little  idea  of  our  situation 
on  reaching  our  destination — to  say,  that  we 
were  wet  and  fatigued — we  were  cold,  ex- 
hausted and  covered  with  mud.  But  a  shel- 
ter, a  warm  supper  and  a  warmer  welcome 
— together  with  the  constant  succession  of 
new  arrivals  of  friends,  made  ample  amends, 
for  any  inconvenience  already  suffered. 

Among  the  new  arrivals  was  Mr.  Whitnal, 
already  named;  and  who  had  been  but  re- 
cently  converted  from  the  Baptists.  His  ap- 
pearance was  as  singular  as  his  mental   pe- 

11 


122         HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

cuHarities  were  extraordinary;  and  he  was 
in  all  proper  senses  of  the  phrase,  an  ''ever- 
lasting talker."  Too  young  and  too  Httle 
known  to  win  his  attention,  I  had  leisure  and 
opportunity  to  observe  his  movements  and 
unfailing  tact.  He  literally  flew  from  one 
person  to  another,  like  a  bee  from  flower  to 
flower — and  apparently  for  the  sole  purpose 
of  talking  and  rendering  himself  conspicuous. 
Nothing  however  was  farther  from  his  inten- 
tions; for  no  man  living  was  less  vain  or  pre- 
tending; and  he  talked  perpetually  for  the 
simple  reason,  that  he  could  not  keep  his 
tongue  still. 

The  fatigue  and  discomfort  of  the  day, 
sent  several  of  us  early  to  rest — but  not  to 
sleep.  For  the  large  lodging  room,  where 
some  eight  or  ten  persons  were  to  spend  the 
night,  was  directly  over  that  in  which  our 
friends  w^ere  still  engaged  in  conversation; 
and  the  clear  sharp  voice  of  our  new  preacher 
seemed  to  penetrate  the  walls  and  flooring  as 
if  they  were  gauze — and  came  pealing  in 
with  unceasing  din.  Add  to  this,  the  bursts 
of  laughter  which  his  profoundly  comic  style 
and  manner  provoked;  and  it  will  be  per- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  123 

ceived  that  sleeping  was  entirely  out  of  the 
question,  At  length  the  conversation  ceased, 
the  door  of  our  chamber  opened,  and  Mr. 
Whitnal  entered.  My  bed  was  near  the 
door,  and  turning  to  me  and  holdinop  the  light 

'  O  CO 

above  his  own  head  and  looking  steadily  in 
my  face  for  a  few  seconds — he  commenced. 

"Yes — this  is  Br.  S. — ;  well  I  have  got 
acquainted  with  all  the  rest  of  the  preachers; 
and  now  you  must  come  to  it.'' 

"Excuse  me  to  night — it  is  getting  late 
— I  am  fatigued;  and  besides,  it  may  take 
sometime  to  form  an  acquaintance." 

"O  no;  it  will  take  bnt  a  few  minutes — it 
i7iust  be  done  you  know,  and  may  as  well  be 
done  now  as  any  time." 

There  was  some  reason  in  this;  and  w'hile 
I  was  meditating  whether  to  answer,  or  to 
laugh  at  our  position,  he  took  advantage  of 
the  pause,  and  proceeded. 

"When  travelling,  I  make  it  a  rule  to  tell 
those  where  I  stop,  who  I  am,  where  I  am 
going,  and  my  business— ^this  you  know  saves 
time  and  trouble.  So  in  coming  here  to  day, 
I  had  occasion  to  call  at  a  farm  house  for  a 
drink  of  water;  and  while  the  good  woman 


124  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

was  getting  it  for  me.  I  told  her  that  my 
name  was  W. — that  I  was  a  Universalist 
preacher,  and  was  going  to  a  Universahst  As- 
sociation.'' 

Lady. — ''A  Universalist — pray  what  will 
you  do  with  the  case  of  Esau?" 

Whitnal. — "Why — what  of  Esau  mad- 
am?" 

L. — ''O,  he  sold  his  birthright,  you  know." 

W. — "Yes;  but  what  was  his  birthrighf?" 

L. — "Why,  his  soul  to  be  sure." 

W. — "His  soul!  Well,  do  you  suppose 
that  .Tacob  had  Esau's  soul?  You  must  re- 
member that  he  fairly  bought  it." 

L. — Hesitating — "Yes,  that  seems  proba- 
ble." 

W. — "And  what,  do  you  think,  became  of 
Jacob?" 

L. — "O,  he  went  to  heaven  no  doubt." 

W. — "W^ell — do  you  think  he  took  Esau's 
soul  along  with  him?" 

L. — Hesitating  again — "Yes,  that  seems 
probable." 

W. — "Now  what  do  think  became  of 
Esau?" 

L. — "Of  Esau? — Why  no  doubt  he  wont 
to  hell." 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.        125 

W. — ''But  that  is  rather  odd  ma'am,  that 
Jacob  should  go  to  heaven  with  two  souls, 
and  poor  Esau  to  hell  without  any.^'' 

He  gained  his  object — we  were  emphati- 
cally acquainted  from  that  time  forward 
while  he  lived. 

Peace  to  his  ashes,  and  honor  to  his  mem- 
ory. He  was  truly  "one  of  nature's  noble- 
men," generous,  self  sacrificing  and  sincere. 
In  the  midst  of  opposition  and  reproach,  he 
witnessed  a  good  profession,  and  with  all  his 
eccentricities,  he  won  friends  and  honored 
the  truth.  He  died,  as  he  had  lived — believ- 
ing and  cheerful,  resigned  and  happy  in  the 
hope  of  Universal  grace  and  salvation. 

Three  other  preachers  received  Letters  of 
Fellowship,  at  this  Association,  viz.  Mr.  S. 
Cook,  D.  Gilson,  and  U.  H.  Jacobs.  The 
two  latter  were  men  of  doubtful  worth;  and 
after  making  much  trouble,  and  subjecting 
themselves  to  censure  and  suspension,  they 
ceased  in  a  few  years  to  be  known  to  the  de- 
nomination. Mr.  Cook  still  remains,  to  ad- 
vocate the  truth  to  which  he  has  consecrated 
his  heart  and  his  life.  He  sustains  an  irre- 
proachable character;  but  from  some  pecu- 
11* 


126  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

iiarity  of  views  respecting  social  habits  and 
religious  rites,  he  seldom  associates  with  the 
preachers,  or  attends  the  meetings  of  the  As- 
sociation. 

The  session  of  the  Association  this  year, 
furnished  higher  evidences  of  the   advance- 
ment of  the  cause  of  truth,  than  had  ever 
been  exhibited  at  any-  previous  time.     There 
were  more  preachers  present,  a  greater  num- 
ber received  Fellowship, — there  was  a  better 
general  attendance;  and  the  reports  from  the 
surrounding  region  were  more  encouraging. 
No   new    Societies   had    been   formed — but 
permanent   congregations    had    been   raised 
in  places  hitherto  unvisited,  or  inaccessible. 
And  above  all  things,  it  was  becoming  evi- 
dent that  stronger  and  deeper  impressions 
had  been  made   upon  the  public  mind-     So 
that   something   like    charity   towards   each 
other,  was  beginning  to  bud  upon  the  various 
branches  of  the  prevailing  orthodoxy.     Most 
of  the  societies  represented,   had  visibly  at- 
tained more  strength,  and  it  was  very  obvi- 
ous   that   the   preachers   were   both   better 
received,  and  better  sustained.     It  was  not 
expected   that  believers   in    the   restitution 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  127 

would  yet  be  owned  and  acknowleged  as» 
*'part  and  parcel"  of  the  great  family  of 
christians — but  it  was  becoming  very  evident, 
that  their  influence  was  drawing  the  bonds  of 
brotherhood  more  closely  and  kindly  among 
the  conflicting  sects-  Various  movements 
intimated  in  no  very  ambigouus  manner,  that 
the  leaders  of  different  parties,  began  to 
think  it  high  time  to  make  common  cause 
against  the  new  doctrine.  These  movements 
were  less  the  result  of  the  direct  progress  of 
Universahsm,  than  of  a  growing  spirit  of 
inquiry  abroad  in  the  land. 

From  these  early  and  comparatively  un- 
important movements,  vast  results  have  al- 
ready followed;  and  others  are  still  in  prog- 
ress, whose  influences  are  not  to  be  esti- 
mated. And  though  it  may  be  deemed  ar- 
rogant— yet  we  must  confess  our  belief,  that 
Universalism  has  exerted  a  very  large  share 
of  influence  in  producing  the  modifications 
of  doctrinal  religion,  so  visible  in  our  coun- 
try. The  dogmas  which  they  have  rejected 
as  unreasonable  and  unscriptural,  have  in 
some  instances  been  modified;  in  others, 
abandoned — and  in  defiance  of  the  fanaticism 


1*28  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

of  individuals  and  sects,  there  is  abundant 
evidence  that  both  mind  and  morals  have 
much  more  to  do  than  formerly,  with  the 
concerns  of  religion.  The  consequence  even 
now  is,  that  with  occasional  exceptions,  some 
of  the  most  repulsive  doctrines  are  not  be- 
lieved, or  what  is  the  same  in  effect — are  not 
avowed.  A  similar  progress  will  in  a  few 
years,  expunge  every  gross  inconsistency 
from  the  creeds;  and  by  rendering  christians 
consistent,  promote  the  spirit  of  the  gospel 
of  universal  grace. 

Of  the  nature  of  the  change  which  was 
in  progress,  respecting  the  preachers  of  Uni- 
versalism,  some  idea  may  be  formed  from  a 
circumstance  which  occurred  at  this  session 
of  the  Association.  It  will  also  furnish  one, 
among  many  illustrations,  of  the  unenviable 
position  in  which  these  first  heralds  of  illim- 
itable grace,  were  placed,  in  central  New 
York.  A  young  preacher  was  congratulat- 
ing Mr.  Stacy,  on  the  presence  of  so  many 
ministers,  and  of  a  numerous  and  respectable 
congregation — and  especially  on  the  better 
prospects  which  seemed  now  first  opening  to 
the    denomination.      Overwhelmed    by    his 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  129 

emotions  Mr.  Stacy  burst  into  tears:  and  as 
soon  as  he  could  command  his  feelinGfs,  he 
stated  that  within  a  very  few  years,  he  had 
in  passing  through  that  village,  been  thronged 
by  a  gang  of  boys  who  threw  small  missiles, 
swung  their  hats,  and  hurrahed  the  Univer- 
salist  preacher  along  the  street! 

It  must  be  evident,  that  in  a  place  which 
perhaps  in  many  things,  justly  claimed  dis- 
tinction for  moral  propriety  and  religious  de- 
corum, these  juvenile  offenders  against  com- 
mon civility,  were  not  the  originators  of 
such  outrages.  The  real  instigators  were 
unquestionably  quietly  looking  on,  and  enjoy- 
ing a  species  of  diabolical  gratification  in 
the  success  of  their  enterprise.  Nor  is  it 
unreasonable  to  suppose,  that  they  were 
among  the  "heads  of  the  people,"  and  prob- 
ably distinguished  for  their  zeal  in  the  cause 
of  religion!  For  it  is  difficult  to  believe, 
that  any  but  bigots  and  fanatics  could  plan — 
or  as  much  as  witness  an  insult  to  such  a  man 
as  Mr.  Stacy.  It  is  scarcely  possible  that  he 
should  be  well  known  even  by  an  opposer, 
and  not  be  respected.  And  all  that  knew 
any  thing  of  his  general  reputation  and  per- 


130  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

sonal  character,  also  knew  him  to  be  above 
reproach.  But  here,  he  was  a  comparative 
stranger — he  was  known  rather  as  the 
preacher  of  a  hated  doctrine,  than  as  a  man; 
and  the  spleen  of  bigotry  could  condescend 
to  vent  itself  through  the  instrumentality  of 
children.  Thus  countenancing  an  act — 
which  as  in  many  other  cases,  the  instigators 
would  blush  to  perpetrate.  But  what  had 
others  to  expect,  when  such  men  were  the 
objects  of  public  abuse! 

Happily  the  exhibition  of  such  feelings 
and  probably  much  of  the  disposition  to  in- 
dulge in  them,  were  then  (1815)  passing 
away.  And  the  tioo  neat  Unlversalist 
churches  in  the  two  villages,  which  were 
then  comprised  in  the  same  township,  are 
standing  assurances  that  the  opposers  of  the 
doctrine  statedly  disseminated  there,  have 
far  other  employment  for  their  zeal  and  tal- 
ents, than  that  of  inspiring  a  mob  of  boys 
with  a  disposition  to  insult  a  Universalist 
clergyman. 

THE  MEETING    HOUSE. 

Universalism  had  now  been  preached  in 
central  New  York,  more  than  ten  years,  and 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  131 

yet,  there  was  not  a  single  meeting  house 
exclusively  owned  and  occupied  by  the 
members  of  that  faith.  Several  preachers 
of  acknowledged  reputation,  had  labored 
most  faithfully  during  that  whole  period — a 
number  of  societies  respectable  for  numbers 
and  resources  had  risen,  which  knew  and 
felt  all  the  inconvenience  resulting  from  the 
w^ant  of  a  suitable  house  in  which  to  assem- 
ble, but  no  effectual  effort  was  made  to  erect 
one,  in  any  instance.  There  were  a  few 
churches  in  which  Universalists  were  origi- 
nal proprietors;  and  where  they  held  the  ac- 
knowledged right  to  occupy  their  proportion 
of  time.  But  beyond  this,  they  could  exer- 
cise no  control. 

The  reason  why  this  important  matter 
w^as  so  long  delayed — why  no  churches  w^ere 
erected,  was  not  because  societies  were  des- 
titute of  means,  or  insensible  to  their  wants 
— but  because  societies  whose  number  and 
resources  were  equal  to  the  undertaking  co- 
vered so  wide  an  extent  of  territory.  The 
members  of  the  congregation  were  in  a  ma- 
jority of  instances,  drawn  from  several  adja- 
cent towns;  and  the   extreme   points  from 


132  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

wliich  individuals  and  families  came  to  the 
same  meeting,  were  often  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles  distant  from  each  other.  It 
was  no  easy  matter,  to  fix  on  a  location 
w^hich  would  accommodate  all  who  were  in- 
terested. For  although  the  then  present 
convenience  of  the  society  might  require  the 
occupancy  of  a  given  place;  it  was  foreseen 
that  to  determine  upon  its  adoption,  might 
be  greatly  to  the  disadvantage  of  some  future 
similar  undertaking.  At  the  same  time,  it 
was  an  essential  part  of  the  calculation,  that 
the  means  of  all  should  be  applied,  and  in 
such  a  way  as  should  be  satisfactory. 

A  better  idea  of  the  difficulties  to  be  en- 
countered in  such  cases,  will  be  formed  when 
it  is  understood  that  the  society  in  Whites- 
town  was  scattered  over  a  territory  within 
which  no  less  than  jf^ue  Universalist  churches 
and  one  union  house  have  already  been 
erected.  Two  of  these  churches  are  within 
four  miles  of  each  other — the  rest  are  from 
five  to  eight  miles  apart!  And  the  time  is 
not  far  distant,  when  several  others  will  be 
erected  in  the  same  district,  in  places  where 
as  yet  no  distinct  organization  has  been  ef- 
fected. 


HiaTOklCAL  SKETCHES.         133 

This  society — now  known  as  that  in  New 
Hartford — took  all  the  forenamed  difficulties 
into  consideration,  and  decided  to  build. — 
And  it  was  agreed,  that  the  number  and  pe- 
cuniary ability  of  that  portion  of  its  members 
residing  in  and  about  the  village  of  New 
Hartford,  entitled  them  to  the  privileges  of 
the  location  of  the  contemplated  meeting 
house.  The  funds  were  accordingly  soon 
raised;  and  in  the  summer  of  1815,  a  build- 
ing of  wood  was  completed,  fifty  by  thirty 
feet,  with  a  small  gallery  for  singers — the 
whole  finished  in  the  plainest  possible  man- 
ner. It  will  seat  about  200  persons — and 
small  as  it  is,  it  was  found  to  be  abundantly 
capacious  for  the  accommodation  of  the  con- 
gregation on  all  ordinary  occasions.  This 
was  undoubtly  the  first  Univcrsalist  church, 
built  by  the  denomination  in  the  State  of 
New  York. 

It  is  not  possible  to  convey  an  adequate 
idea  of  the  complacent  satisfaction  felt  and 
betrayed  by  the  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion, when  at  last,  they  sat  down  to  worship 
God  in  a  sanctuary  of  their  own.  They  con- 
gratulated each  other — eyes  brightened,  and 
12 


134  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

countenances  beamed  with  radient  pleasure; 
and  strong  men  that  had  borne  the  reproach 
of  heresy  unmoved,  now  wept  with  feehngs 
of  joy.  It  was  Hke  opening  a  new  fountain 
in  the  desert — and  purer  thanksgiving  never 
ascended  from  human  hearts  before  high 
Heaven,  than  was  offered  on  that  day,  by 
that  congregation.  It  was  a  time  and  an 
occasion  to  be  remembered  for  reasons,which 
no  subsequent  occasion  of  the  kind  can  ever 
furnish  to  another  society  of  the  order,  in  the 
State.  It  was  a  point,  onward  which  con- 
verged a  host  of  great  interests  to  a  class  of 
christians,  the  developement  of  whose  power 
and  influence,  and  numbers,  were  now  sub- 
jects of  earnest  conjecture.  For  while  it 
gave  assurance  of  what  might  be  effected 
with  comparative  ease  in  other  instances — it 
was  the  earnest  of  the  multitude  of  temples 
consecrated  to  like  purposes,  which  were  to 
rise  throughout  the  broad  land*  The  prece- 
dent furnished  by  the  erection  of  this  church, 
other  societies  soon  found  it  their  interest  to 
follow — and  they  did  follow  it,  with  still  bet- 
ter results. 

It  will  not  be  out  of  place  to  remark  here, 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES  135 

that  in  a  very  important  particular,  tlie  soci- 
ety from  the  best  motives,  greatly  erred  in 
the  location  of  this  church.  It  is  not  in  hu- 
man nature  to  go  out  of  a  town  or  village  to 
meeting.  The  current  in  all  instances  sets 
the  other  way;  either  because  that  is  the 
point  to  which  roads  converge — or  because 
it  is  a  matter  of  taste,  or  habit,  or  is  more 
convenient  to  the  greater  number.  What- 
ever the  reason  is — so  it  is,  that  people  more 
readily  go  into  a  village  than  out  of  it,  to  at- 
tend church.  And  yet  for  the  •  purpose  of 
securing  a  very  beautiful  site — and  under  the 
mistaken  impressi<>n  that  it  would  be  a  mat- 
ter of  indifference  to  the  public,  this  first 
church  of  the  denomination  in  the  State  was 
placed  near  half  a  mile  from  the  village.  To 
the  confirmed  believer,  to  the  devout  wor- 
shipper, a  few  rods  more  or  less,  in  or  out 
of  town,  w^ill  be  deemed  wholly  unimportant 
— but  these  are  by  no  means  all, whose  inter- 
est, or  caprice,  or  convenience,  is  to  be 
consulted.  And  it  is  known  that  liberal  per- 
sons then  connected  with,  and  supporting 
opposers  of  Universalism,  admonished  the 
society    in  the  kindest   manner,  but  without 


180  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

effect,   to  take  a  different  position  and  build 
near  the  Presbyterian  church.     This  advice 
was  disregarded,  and   two  results  grew  out 
of  the  neglect — the  establishment  of  an  Epis- 
copal  society  into  which  most  of  the  liberal 
part    of  the    villagers    finally    merged — and 
the  perpetual  but  slow  decline  of  the  Univer- 
salist  congregation,  until  the  house  has  been 
almost   wholly    abandoned.      And   there   it 
stands,  like  the   white  marble  monuments  of 
the  dead   in    the  small  cemetery   attached, 
desolate  and  alone — an  unpolluted  witness  of 
the  impolicy  of  its  location,  yet  throwing  its 
kindly  shade  over  the   final  resting  place  of 
many  who  once  Avorshipped  within  its  walls. 

MINISTERIAL  SUPPORT. 

It  was  stated  that  at  the  Association  this 
year,  there  was  evidence  that  the  preachers 
were  generally  better  supported.  But  it  is 
necessary  to  explain  this  by  facts,  lest  the 
reader  should  misconstrue  the  terms  and  draw 
an  unwarrantable  and  wrong  conclusion. — 
The  world  seldom  knows,  or  appears  to  care 
much  about  these  matters.  And  when  it  is 
said  that  preachers  in  a   given  instance  are 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  137 

better  provided  for — the  inference  is  perhaps 
natural,  that  they  are  raised  above  immedi- 
ate and  pressing  want,  if  not  some  degrees 
above  the  condition  of  most  of  their  sup- 
porters. Neither  of  these  was  then  true  of 
UniversaKst  preachers — though  from  causes 
always  in  operation,  some  were  in  better  cir- 
cumstances than  others,  and  received  a  bet- 
ter support. 

A  single  fact  will  amply  illustrate  the  envi- 
able abundance,  with  which  the  ministers  of 
Universalism  were  then  so  much  favored. — 
Of  the  ten  or  fifteen  preachers  in  the  State 
— he  who  from  his  location,  his  need,  and 
the  number  and  wealth  of  his  congregation, 
unquestionably  received  as  good  a  support 
as  any  other,  actually  realized  for  his  minis- 
terial services,  less  than  two  hundred  dollars 
in  the  year.  And  this  includes  every  item 
from  all  quarters  and  of  every  description. 
On  such  support,  the  reader  will  wonder 
how  our  condition  could  be  visibly  improved.; 
and  how,  if  such  was  the  fact,  we  had 
previously  managed  to  live  at  all!  None 
lived  exclusively  on  a  salary,  but  eked  out  a 
subsistence  by  teaching,  or  cultivating  a 
12* 


ISS  HISTOIIICAL  SKETCHES. 

patch  of  ground,  or  practising  some  handi- 
craft, as  circumstances  permitted.  And 
v/himsical  as  it  may  now  seem,  some  of  these 
very  men  were  so  fully  satisfied  of  the  am- 
plitude of  their  support,  that  they  were  con- 
stantly declaiming  against  "fat  salaries."  It 
was  well  for  these  good  and  pure  hearted 
men — that  they  had  but  few  wants,  or  what 
is  the  same,  were  happily  ignorant  of  their 
own  necessities,  which  were  quite  apparent 
to  all  but  themselves!  It  is  how^ever  but  jus- 
tice to  add — that  in  one  or  two  instances, 
preachers  had  received  8500  per  year. 

It  will  doubtless  strike  the  reader,  that  the 
members  of  societies  must  have  been  ex- 
ceedingly remiss,  if  not,  criminally  faulty, 
in  their  attention  to  the  wants  of  their  public 
servants.  But  this  was  by  no  means  the  fact. 
That  in  some  instances  they  were  poor,  in 
others  thoughtless,  in  others  negligent,  is 
unquestionable;  but  there  was  probably  not 
an  instance  in  which  a  competent  support 
was  withheld  from  mere  penuriousness,  or 
unkind  motives.  No  one  society  could  give 
an  adequate  support  to  a  Clergyman^  and 
none    thought    of    endeavoring    to    do    so. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  139 

Hence,  when  a  preacher  was  said  to  be 
located  with  a  particular  congregation,  it 
impHod  only,  that  he  resided  there,  or  min- 
istered there  the  principal  part  of  his  time. 
It  followed  therefore  that  nearly  or  quite 
one  half  of  the  preacher's  labors,  was  ap- 
pl  ed  to  any  place  where  he  could  find  hear- 
ers; and  the  contributions  to  his  support  from 
these  sources,  were  often  meagre  in  the  ex- 
treme from  want  of  s^'stem  and  proper  or- 
ganization. 

The  fault — if  indeed  there  was  any  to 
which  blame  attached,  commonly  lay  in  the 
preachers  themselves.  As  before  stated,  they 
often  declaimed  in  no  measured  terms,  against 
ministerial  support.  And  when  subscriptions, 
respectable  in  amount  wxre  made  for  them, 
they  have  been  known  to  neglect  entirely 
even  to  ask  for  their  collection.  In  other 
cases,  where  arrangements  had  been  made 
and  reasonable  compensation  for  time,  ex- 
pense and  services,  put  into  their  hands — 
they  would  carefully  estimate  their  expenses, 
receive  that,  and  return  the  balance.  And 
this  too,  by  men  who  needed  clothing  for 
themselves,  or  whose  families  were  in  want 


140  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

of  many  of  the  ordinary  comforts  of  life. 
What  could  societies  do  for  such  men?  For 
both  by  their  preaching  and  example,  they 
were  perpetually  doing  all  in  their  power, 
to  fix  the  impression,  that  it  was  their  solemn 
determination  to  rehnquish  every  thing  in 
the  form  of  salary,  and  to  accept  only  of  a 
bare  and  stinted  subsistence!  There  may  be 
no  sufficient  reasons  why  societies  should 
make  their  ministers  rich — ^but  certainly, 
there  can  be  none,  why  the  man* who  devotes 
his  talents,  his  life-labors  and  his  moral  in- 
fluence to  the  religious  good  of  others,  should 
not  receive  a  comfortable  support  at  the 
hands  of  those  w^ho  command  his  services. 
And  if  the  world  ever  furnished  a  class  of 
single  hearted  and  self-sacrificing  men,  that 
example  stands  out  in  the  clearest  fight  in 
the  conduct  of  some  of  the  first  preachers 
of  Universalism  in  the  state  of  New  York. 

And  yet  however  paradoxical  it  may  seem, 
this  semi  gratuitous  ministry  had  a  two-fold 
tendency  to  injure  the  prosperity  of  the  very 
cause  which  it  was  intended  to  advance.  It 
diminished  the  actual  number  of  supporters; 
and  what  is  still  more  extraordinary,  lessened 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  141 

the  number  of  attendants  on  a  given  congre- 
gation. The  process  was  this.  A  man  in 
moderate  circumstances  subscribed — say  five 
dollars  towards  the  yearly  support  of  his 
minister.  This  sum,  he  was  both  able  and 
\villing  to  pay.  But  from  the  causes  already, 
named  he  was  not  called  upon  to  pay  it  in  the 
prescribed  time — and  it  was  left  to  take  its 
course.  When  the  arrano^ements  for  another 
year  were  made,  he  was  again  ready  to  give 
his  subscription  for  five  dollars  more.  But 
he  soon  begins  to  feel  that  he  now  owes  his 
minister,  te?i  dollars;  and  he  cannot  sit  com- 
fortably and  hear  him  preach,  under  that 
consciousness.  He  resolves  at  once  to  put 
the  sum  into  the  hands  of  the  committee  of 
the  society,  or  give  it  to  the  preacher  at  the 
first  opportunity.  But  from  a  score  of  rea- 
sons which  he  had  not  taken  into  the  ac- 
count— it  still  remains  unpaid.  He  now 
becomes  ashamed  to  go  meeting,  loses  his 
interest  in  the  services  in  consequence,  takes 
no  pains  to  secure  the  attendance  of  his  fam- 
ily and  friends,  and  finally,  satifies  himself 
to  stay  at  home.  The  lookers-on — and  there 
are  always  many  such,  some  of  whom  had 


142  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

become  half  inclined  to  make  his  meeting 
their  own,  observe  his  coldness  and  indiffer- 
ence, and  without  any  just  apprehension  of 
the  cause,  take  the  alarm,  presume  that  some- 
thing is  wrong,  and  turn  with  vague  suspi- 
cions forever  away  from  the  congregation. 
Thus,  there  is  little  reason  to  doubt,  that  the 
character  of  Universalism  has  suffered,  its 
advancement  been  retarded,  and  an  improper 
,  and  even  false  estimate  of  the  resources  of 
the  denomination  resulted,  from  the  neglect 
of  some  of  the  early  ministers  to  realise 
what  was  voluntarily  subscribed  for  their 
support,  and  what  in  general  they  very 
much  needed. 

LOCAL  MINISTERS. 

The  time  was  now  approaching,  in  which 
the  capabilities  of  the  few  Universalist 
preachers,  were  to  be  tested  under  compar- 
atively new  relations.  Their  itinerating  hab- 
its were  to  be  succeeded  by  others — far  dif- 
ferent in  kind,  and  involving  duties  and  la- 
bors essentially  different  in  character  and  in- 
fluence. They  were  to  become  parish  min- 
isters.    Their  labors  were  to  be  directed  to 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  143 

the  developement  and  formation  of  charac- 
ter, rather  than  to  the  mere  support  of  a  pe- 
cuhar  doctrine  and  the  multiphcation  of  pros- 
elytes. Not  that  it  ever  was — or  ever  can 
be  their  duty,  to  dispense  with  the  earnest  in- 
culcation of  the  great  principles  and  proofs 
of  their  faith.  But,  they  were  now  to  carry 
out  these  principles  and  doctrines  in  all  their 
various  bearings  and  influences;  and  as  far 
as  possible  to  bring  them  to  the  ^'business  and 
bosoms"  of  the  members  of  their  congrega- 
tions. 

Never  were  men  less  prepared  for  such 
duties  and  services.  They  were  men  of 
sterling  integrity — some  of  them,  of  great 
intellectual  and  moral  worth,  and  perhaps  a 
majority  of  them  what  might  be  considered 
— good  preachers.  But  their  preaching  had 
been  almost  exclusively  directed  to  the  incul- 
cation and  proof  of  the  restitution.  Their 
premises  were  firm,  their  arguments  clear 
and  convincing,  their  scripture  proof  abun- 
dant and  conclusive;  and  they  usually  clo- 
sed their  discourses  with  very  urgent  exhort- 
ations to  the  practice  of  every  *'good  word 
and  work." 


144  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

All  this  was  very  well,  and  under  the  cir- 
cumstances was  probably  all  that  could  be 
done,  or  expected.  But  it  left  the  particular 
moral  and  social  bearings  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  restitution  to  conjecture,  or  to  be  disco- 
vered and  applied  as  accident,  or  the  tastes 
and  talents  of  individuals  directed.  Indeed, 
it  may  fairly  be  questioned,  without  any  re- 
flection upon  the  ministers  .themselves — 
whether  they  possessed  any  very  clear  and 
defini  te  notions  on  the  subject.  Excep- 
tions there  certainly  w^ere — but  not  enough 
of  them  to  affect  the  general  remark.  And 
while  favorable  moral  influences,  were  ex- 
erted, it  is  still  true,  that  in  general,  the  great 
mass  of  believers  and  professors  were  sound 
and  intelligent,  rather  than  deep-feehng  and 
devotional  christians.  They  were  keen  dis- 
putants, familiar  with  all  the  arguments  and 
evidences  of  their  creed — they  had  an  utter 
detestation  of  the  dogma  of  endless  misery, 
and  could  expose  its  fallacy  in  sober  earnest, 
or  what  was  by  no  means  uncommon,  show 
its  absurdity  and  hold  it  up  to  ridicule,  in 
terms  of  the  most  bitter  and  biting  sarcasm 
and  rebuke.     But  it  was  by  no  means  cer- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  145 

tain,  they  saw  in  the  divine  paternity  and 
man's  brotherhood  that  gave  to  their  argu- 
ments tsuch  orwhehiiing  power — all  the  rea- 
sons for  rational  piety  and  pure  hearted  vir- 
tue, which  such  views  are  calculated  to  in- 
spire. 

It  must  be  apparent,  that  men  whose  whole 
mind  had  laus  been  directed  to  the  study  and 
propagation  of  a  pecuh"ar  doctrine,  wqre  little 
prepared  for  the  condition  and  duties  of  par- 
ish ministers.     They  had  lived  perhaps  with 
some  particular  congregation — ^they  had  min- 
istered to  it,  say  one-quarter,  or  one-half  of 
the  SabbatKs — but  they  had  been  absent  from 
it  fi.ve  days  out  of  every  week.     And  as  a 
consequence,  they  were  if  not  strangers — at 
most,  little  acquainted,  and  therefore  had  few 
sympathies  with  their  societies.     They  were 
mere  pulpit  servants  of  the  denomination— 
here  lay  their  power- — here  began  and  ended 
both  their  labors  and  their  influence.     They 
had  little   intercourse    with   others,  besides 
through  the  pulpit,    or  what  was   the  same 
both   in   character    and  effect,  explaing  the 
■  scriptures  to  friends,  or  answering  objections 
to  enemies.     But  of  the  domestic  trials,  the 

13 


146  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES- 

joys  and  sorrows  of  the  heart,  the  queries* 
and  aspirations  of  the  young  and  tender 
minds,  of  the  n^embers  and  famihes  of  their 
congregations,  they  had  little  apprehension. 
And  when  they  came  to  settle  down  as  the 
servants  of  one  or  more  societies — to  be 
much  at  home — to  mingle  with  their  hearers 
in  the  daily  scenes  of  suffering,  and  sorrow, 
and  joy — they  failed  to  meet  expectation. — 
The  habits  of  study  and  closet  preparation, 
were  entirely  out  of  the  question.  If  they 
had  ever  been  readers — the  experience  of 
years  of  itinerating  toil  and  exclusion  from 
books,  had  thrown  them  into  entire  reliance 
upon  the  Bible  and  their  mental  resources. 
They  had  by  previous  and  perpetual  labor 
and  exertion,  become  disqualified  for  sedent- 
ai'y  employments;  and  while  they  had  min- 
gled much  with  men,  it  had  been  under  cir- 
cumstances by  no  means  favorable  to  the  el- 
evation of  their  social  qurdifications. 

The  train  of  events  therefore,  which  gave 
the  character  of  pastors  to  our  ministers, 
threw  some  of  them  into  obscurity.  They 
seemed  to  loose  their  intellectual  energy,  and 
the  force  and   power   of  their  ministry  de- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  147 

parted.  True — these  results  were  aided  and 
accelerated  by  other  causes.  Great  changes 
were  cominor  over  the  con^recrations,  and 
w^ith  these  a  corresponding  difference  of 
tastes — so  that  probably  what  was  once 
deemed  a  valuable  ministry,  had  ceased  to 
be  so  regarded.  And  the  condition  of  the 
preachers  had  been  such  as  in  common  phrase 
— to  throw  them  ''behind  the  age."' 

These  matters  were  sometimes  the  subjects 
of  serious  joking — as  well  as  of  much  morti- 
fication and  sincere  regret.  It  must  have 
been  seen,  that  a  very  large  proportion  of 
Universalist  ministers,  were  at  the  time,  com- 
posed of  converts  from  the  ministry  of  op- 
posing sects.  One  of  these,  formerly  a 
Baptist,  was  severely  reproached  by  an  El- 
der of  that  denomination  for  the  incompe- 
tency of  his  new  brethren.  The  reply  was 
alike  full  of  point  and  power.  '-What,"  said 
the  Universalist,  "what  could  be  expected 
from  such  men,  when  it  is  recollected  that 
we  had  few  except  Baptist  preachers  to  make 
ours  out  of!"'  This  was  true  to  the  letter — 
and  the  aspiring  Elder  was  both  humbled 
and  s'lenced  under  the  rebuke. 


148  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES, 

Much  as  these  things  were  deplored  inas- 
much as  they  could  not  soon  be  renriedied^ 
those  who  suffered  as  much  from  them  as 
any  others^  endeavored  to  make  the  best  of 
them;  and  sometimes  enlivened  their  ac« 
counts  of  affairs  with  a  comical  remark.  A 
substantial,  right  forward,  hard  thinking  old 
gentleman,  on  being  asked  how  his  minister 
succeeded  and  managed,  replied — "In  the 
desk  he  is  a  perfect  saint,  and  of  course 
ought  never  to  come  out  of  it  into  this  world 
— ^but  w^hen  once  out,  he  is  so  reckless  and 
eccentric,  that  he  seems  wholly  unfit  ever  to 
go  into  it  again.''  The  preacher  was  a  good 
man,  and  the  remark  was  not  designed  to 
convey  any  reflection  upon  his  moral  charac- 
ter. It  merely  s'gnified  that  his  principal 
talent  lay  in  pulpit  services;  and  that  his  so- 
cial  qualifications  and  mental  acquirements 
were  not  such  as  fitted  him  for  the  new  rela^ 
tions  and  duties  involved  by  his  profession. 

ACCESSIONS. 1816. 

The  Western  Association  met  this  year, 
in  the  village  of  Cooperstown;  and  received 
great  encouragement  from  the  location  of  ai^ 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  149 

experienced  and  influential  minister,  and  the 
addition  of  four  new  societies.  Such  an 
event  would  excite  no  particular  attention  in 
later  periods — but  it  should  be  remembered 
that  il  then  betokened  a  gain  of  nearly  twen- 
ty-five per  cent,  upon  our  whole  number  of 
societies,  and  perhaps  as  much  in  the  real 
power  of  the  denomination,  in  a  single  year. 
The  organization  and  acccvssion  of  four  soci- 
eties—respectable for  the  number  and  resour- 
ces of  their  members,  were  matters  of  con- 
gratulation and  encouragement,  while  they 
furnished  substantial  evidence  of  progress. 
They  demonstrated — at  least  to  believers  in 
the  restitution,  that  under  all  the  odium  and 
discouragements  of  a  new  and  hated  religious 
system,  its  principles  were  pushing  their  way 
forward  in  the  world,  reaching  the  hearts  of 
men  and  inspiring  them  with  the  moral  abil- 
ity to  stand  forth  in  the  vindication  of  eter- 
nal truth.  From  such  sources  the  hands  of 
the  w^eary  were  strengthened — the  hearts  of 
the  oppressed  and  desponding  revived,  and 
they  went  forward  with  renewed  zeal  and 
more  confirmed  hope  of  early  and  certain 
triumph. 

13* 


150  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

The  name  of  Mr.  A.  Kneeland  appears 
for  the  first  time  as  a  mmister  in  New  York, 
on  the  minutes  of  this  session  of  the  Associ- 
ation. He  had  settled  with  the  society  in 
Whitestown — devoting  a  part  of  the  Sab- 
baths to  at  least  one  other  congregation.  He 
brought  the  experience  of  a  number  of  years 
to  bear  upon  the  new  field  of  his  labor,  and 
the  general  reputation  of  talents  and  acquire- 
ments above  mediocrity — and  certainly  much 
above  most  of  those  who  were  now  his  fel- 
low laborers.  Calm,  courteous  and  gentle- 
manly in  his  deportment  and  intercourse,  re- 
markably plain  and  intelligible  in  his  discour- 
ses, he  won  the  respect  of  opposers,  and  en- 
joyed the  highest  confidence  of  his  congre- 
gation. And  it  is  deemed  but  simple  justice 
to  say,  that  his  location  in  central  New 
York,  was  at  the  time,  a  matter  of  pride  and 
of  benefit  to  the  denomination.  And  there 
were  very  few  preachers^then  in  the  connex- 
ion, who  could  have  thrown  around  them  a 
greater  number  of  salutary  influences;  or 
given  a  more  elevating  tone  to  the  character 
of  the  Universalist  ministry.  The  perma- 
nent establishment   of   such   a   man   in  the 


# 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  151 

country,  was  generally  regarded  as  among 
the  certain  means  of  advancing  the  best  in- 
terests of  the  denomination,  and  of  approxi- 
mating that  standard  of  influence  to  which  it 
now  had  a  right  to  aspire.  Nor  were  the 
expectations  of  friends  materially  disappoin- 
ted— save  in  the  peculiar  form  and  matter  of 
his  pulpit  labors.  There — while  every  thing 
was  said  and  done,  in  the  most  dignified  and 
impressive  manner — the  subjects  of  discourse 
were  too  dry  and  metaphysical  to  secure  con- 
tinued interest  and  attention,  or  to  awaken 
the  aifections  and  improve  the  feelings  of  the 
heart.  Of  the  ultimate  career  of  Mr.  K. 
nothing  need  be  said  in  this  place,  as  during 
the  two  or  three  years  of  his  residence  in 
central  Aew  York,  his  preaching  had  no  ne- 
cessary tendency  to  infidelity;  nor  did  his 
friends  suspect  that  he  wanted  entire  confi- 
dence in  the  truth  of  divine  revelation. 

UNPROFITABLE  DISCUSSION. 

Christianity  is  characterized  by  its  perfect 
adaptation  to  the  wants,  and  weaknesses,  and 
sufferings  of  mankind.  It  is  its  greatest 
glory  that  it  does  good — and  the  very  good 


1^2  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

most  needed,  and  which  we  were  least  ca- 
pable, of  effecting  for  ourselves.  And  sub- 
lime as  are  its  truths,  elevating  as  are  its 
promises  in  the  abstract — it  is  in  the  practi- 
cal influence  of  these  upon  the  moral  feel- 
ings, and  character,  and  hopes,  and  happi- 
ness of  man  here,  that  its  objects  and  sub- 
stantial value  are  best  understood.  It  is  in 
these  life-affairs  that  the  infinite  superiority 
of  the  gospel,  to  any  and  all,  of  the  systems 
of  philosophy,  is  most  apparent.  Here  is  a 
difference,  not  alone  of  speculation^but  a 
practical  difference  w^hich  every  man,  the 
weak  and  the  strong,  the  untaught  and  the 
learned,  can  comprehend  and  feel.  He  sees 
it  going  where  mere  philosophy  never  w^ent, 
where  it  never  can  go,  where  it  was  not  even 
designed  to  go — to  the  home  of  poverty  and 
suffering,  and  to  the  heart  of  the  vicious,  the 
the  wretched,  the  afflicted;  and  he  sees  it 
effecting  there,  substantial  virtue,  peace  of 
mind,  cheerful  hope  and  holy  resignation. — 
And  he  learns  from  its  precepts  and  its  prac- 
tical w^orkings,  that  no  part  of  it  w^as  inten- 
ded for  captious  and  empty  speculation. 
With  these  facts  before  us — facts  of  vastly 


#» 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES.  158 

greater  moment  to  man,  than  the  grandest 
metaphysical  conceptions  ever  were,  or  can 
be — there  have  never  been  wanting  those 
who  exert  more  mental  toil,  and  exhaust 
more  efforts  in  framing  and  propagating 
some  useless — not  to  say  senseless  theory, 
than  they  have  ever  expended  upon  the  hum- 
ble and  intelligible  truths  of  Christianity. 
For  these  they  have  no  heart — but  they 
must  conjecture,  speculate, theorise.  And  for 
what? — Not  certainly  to  render  truth  more 
obvious,  or  more  attractive  and  lovely,  or 
the  human  race  better  and  happier.  O,  no — 
but  to  convince  mankind  that  there  is  one 
subject  at  least,  in  which  they  have  diverged 
from  the  common  track  of  thought.  It  is 
not  because  any  moral  consequence  what- 
ever attaches  to  the  subject — but  the  desire 
of  communicating  and  diffusing  one's  own 
opinions.  They  may  be  right — and  what 
theni  must  every  crotchet  be  mooted  at  every 
turn,  merely  because  it  is  right  in  theory] — 
It  is  right  doubtless,  that  a  man  should  theo- 
rise about  many  things,  that  it  would  be  to 
the  last  degree  preposterous  to  spend  a  life 
of  labor  and  vexation,  in  arguing  and  defend- 
ing. 


154  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

But  unfortunately  it  happens  that  such 
speculations  are  quite  as  liable  to  be  wrong 
as  right.  The  field  of  such  labors  has  nei- 
ther bounds  nor  landmarks;  and  many  have 
wandered  there  in  endless  mazes  without  a 
single  tangible  fact  to  guide  them,  and  with- 
out gathering  one  important  truth  in  proof  of 
the  value  of  their  discoveries  or  to  reward 
their  toil. 

What  matters  it  to  a  creature  destined  to 
immortality,  whether  he  now  possesses  the 
germs  of  that  endless  being,  which  can  only 
be  fully  developed  there — or  whether  he  must 
wait  to  be  clothed  upon  vvith  it  when  he  shall 
coma  forth  in  the  resurrection?  In  either 
case,  it  in  no  possible  way  affects  his  present 
physical  condition,  or  moral  character.  Nor 
is  it  conceivable  how  it  can  affect  his  immor- 
tality. It  is  probably  enough  that  he  now 
has  a  being,  and  that  he  will  continue  to  have 
one  through  eternity — and  just  such  an  one, 
as  the  scriptures  distinctly  assure  us  he  shall 
enjoy.  It  may  be  vastly  pleasant  to  indulge 
in  some  conjecturc.s  I'cspecting  the  modes  of 
such  an  existence — in  a  spirit  world;  but  when 
made  the  alpha  and  omega  of  theology,  they 
prove  unnecessary  and  unprofitable. 


,«>.,• 


HrSTORICAL  BKKTCIIES.  155 

But  whatever  degree  of  importance  may 
be  justly  ascribed  to  sucii  discussions,  these 
were  the  subjects  which  occupied  the  inves- 
tigations and  pulpit  labors  of  Mr.  Kneeland, 
during  much  of  the  time  of  his  settlement  in 
central  New  York.  A  considerable  portion 
of  the  works  of  Dr.  Priestley  had  fallen  into 
his  hands,  and  among  them,  those  on  "Matter 
and  Spirit."  The  subject  was  new  to  him, 
and  like  every  thing  else  that  Avas  so — he 
adopted  it  at  once.  The  consoqucnce  was, 
he  became  a  materialist,  denied  the  natural 
immortality  of  man,  and  maintained  the  en- 
tire dormancy  of  the  spirit  or  soul,  between 
death  and  the  reserrection.  For  these,  he 
seemed  to  imbibe  a  passion;  and  he  labored 
from  week  to  week,  from  month  to  month  in 
their  propagation.  He  presented  them  in 
every  variety  of  light  and  in  every  form, and 
urged  them  by  every  consideration  at  his 
command.  His  discourses  were  remarkable 
for  simplicity  and  clearness;  and  while  their 
subject  matter  was  as  new  to  his  hearers  as 
to  himself,  a  respectable  interest  was  mani- 
fested. But  it  was  not  the  bread  of  life,  it 
nourished  no  high  moral  feelings,  it  promoted 


156  HISTORICAL  SKETCIIKS. 

no  practical  virtues,  it  stimulated  no  lofty  as- 
pirations— it  did  no  good. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  discussion  of  these 
subjects  was  productive  of  palpable  injury. 
The  fervor  of  christian  feelings,  gave  place 
to  speculation  and  apathy;  audit  v^^ould  seem 
that  some  minds  view^ed  Christianity  itself, 
rather  as  a  splsdid  theory  to  be  realized  at 
some  far  distant  period,  than  as  a  present  and 
attainable  good.  The  young  lost  all  patience 
with  the  speculations  of  a  cold  philosophy, 
so  uncongenial  with  the  ardor  of  their  feel^ 
ings.  And  the  congregations  in  which  these 
topics  were  principally  discussed — and  which 
were  then  among  the  most  able  and  prospe- 
rous in  the  State — imbibed  the  elements  of 
declension,  still  perceptible  and  still  operat- 
ing. After  the  lapse  of  almost  one  entire 
generation,  they  betray  the  touch  of  a  met- 
aphysical paralysis.  The  subsequent  infi- 
delity of  Mr.  K.  affected  no  man's  faith,  cor- 
rupted no  man's  morality — it  resulted  in  the 
simple  and  solitary  fact,  that  one  Universalist 
preacher  had  ceased  to  be  a  christian.  But 
his  speculations  on  Matter  and  Spirit,  had 
rendered  many  true  hearted  believers  as  tor- 


HISTOniCAL  SKETCHES.  157 

})id  as  so  many  Egyptian  Mummies.  Like 
tiiem  they  remained  iiesh  and  bone — and  like 
them  they  became  cold! 

If  then  it  be  right  to  argue  from  facts,  the 
conclusion  is  clear  that  such  discussions  will 
ever  prove  detrimental  to  the  interests  of 
Christianity.  There  were  originally  ^'foolish 
questions"  discussed  among  christians — there 
are  such  questions  still  among  them.  Tne 
great  body  of  disciples,  is  not  composed  of 
philosophers:  nor  do  they  generally  aspire  to 
become  such.  And  those  questions  are  to 
them,  what  the  "rue,  and  anise,  and  cum- 
in'' were  to  the  Jews — an  attendance  upon 
them  induces  the  neglect  of  "weightier  mat- 
ters-." And  it  will  generally  be  found,  that 
those  societies  are  most  prosperous  and  their 
zeal  most  active  and  efficient,  which  have 
never  been  occupied  with  their  discussion. 

NEW  FIELD  OF  LABOR. 

Through  the  kind  recommendation  and  ex- 
ertions of  a  friend  in  the  vicinity  of  Buffalo, 
N.  Y. — the  writer  was  invited  to  visit  that 
region;  which  he  accordingly  did,  and  spent 
the  summer  of  1816  at  the  village  of  Will- 
14 


lf>S  niSTOIlICAL   SKKTCHE*. 

iamsville,  Eric  County.  Well  received  and 
well  sustained,  little  was  wanting  save  expe- 
perience  and  higher  qualifications,  to  render 
his  situation  agreeable  and  give  success  to 
the  enterprise.  It  is  believed  that  there  were 
but  two  societies — one  in  LeRoy  and  another 
in  Riga,  now  Churchvillo,  West  of  Genesee 
River;  and  of  course  only  two  within  some 
seventy  miles.  The  field  of  labor  was  con- 
sequently wide,  the  harvest  comparatively 
ripe;  and  it  was  evident  that  with; well  di- 
rected efforts,  much  good  might  be  effected. 
For  while  the  principal  friends  were  influen- 
tial and  devoted,  and  a  general  disposition  to 
examine  the  subject  prevailed;  there  was 
little  effective  opposition. 

There  was  indeed  no  distinct  organization, 
and  no  previous  arrangements  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  regular  meetings;  but  there  was 
a  general  disposition  to  give  the  doctiine  of 
Universal  grace  a  fair  hearing,  and  an  un- 
usual degree  of  frankness  in  the  expression 
of  friendly  feelings  and  favorable  convictions. 
And  it  was  evident  to  the  least  observation, 
that  the  bonds  that  bound  individuals  to  a 
creed  and  a  party  in  the  older  communities 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  159 

\vheiicc  the  population  had  emigrated,  hung 
loosely  on  them  under  their  pi'csent  circum- 
stances. This  is  always  true  to  a  greater  or 
less  extent,  in  every  place,  where  men  feel 
at  liberty  to  speak  and  act  upon  their  own 
convictions,  i'hey  are  iree — and  they  feel 
and  enjoy  their  freedom  from  the  petty  re- 
straints imposed  by  the  fear  of  suffering  in 
their  business  or  reputation,  for  the  sake  of 
conscience.  While  those  fears  arc  felt  in 
their  utmost  force,  by  the  extreme  unpopu- 
larity of  the  principles  preferred;  many  up- 
riofht  minds  w^ant  the  courao-e  to  face  the 
probable  evils,  incurred  by  the  manly  pro- 
fession of  the  opinions  entertained.  In  the 
reorcranization  of  society  in  a  new  country, 
these   misfi:ivinsrs   are  thrown    to  the  winds; 

Cj  CD  ' 

and  man  becomes  what  God  made  him  to  be 
— simply  and  emphatically  an  honest  man. 

On  the  24th  of  June  of  this  year,  (1816,) 
a  Masonic  celebration  in  the  then  village  of 
Buffalo,  furnished  a  convient  opportunity  for 
the  introduction  of  Universal  Salvation  into 
that  place.  The  appointnient  was  accord- 
ingly made;  and  at  5  o'clock,  P.  M.  the  same 
building  and  the  same  seats  were  occupied  for 


100  HISTORICAL   SKETCHES. 

the  service,  that  had  been  fitted  up  for  the 
festival.  It  was  a  7iew  Bam  attached  to  one 
of  the  Taverns — and  though  its  acconimoda- 
tions  would  now  be  thought  rather  humble, 
they  were  the  best  which  the  place  afforded, 
and  were  duly  appreciated  by  the  citizens. 
A  respectable  auditory  attended,  and  gave 
very  patient  and  candid  hearing  to  a  dis- 
course from  the  6th  ver.  of  126th  Psalm — 
''He  that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth  bearing 
precious  seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again 
with  rejoicnig,  bringing  his  sheaves  with 
him."  Twenty-seven  years  afterwards,  the 
same  preacher  delivered  a  discourse  from 
the  same  text,  to  the  Universalist  congrega- 
tion in  Buffalo,  which  probably  comprised  a 
greater  number  of  persons,  than  "he  entire 
population  of  the  place  at  his  first  interview. 
The  villar3  was  then  rising  up  from  its  ashes 
— but  two  years  avd  a  half  having  elapsed 
since  it  was  entirely  burned  by  a  detachment 
of  troops  from  Canada — except  the  lowly 
dwelling  of  a  widov/,  and  the  jail  and  one 
other  stone  edifice  which  resisted  all  attempts 
at  conflagratiou.  Such  was  the  place,  and 
the    circumstances    in   which    the   gospel   of 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  161 

reconciliation  was   first   preached  in  one  oi' 
the  most  important  of  its  locations. 

At  this  time,  except  on  the  great  lateral 
roads  from  Genessee  River  and  along  the 
shore  of  Lake  Eric,  the  settlements  were 
comparatively  few — and  sometimes  ''far  be- 
tween." There  every  ihin^  but  the  eternal 
woods  and  waters,  was  new. — Almost  every 
family  still  occupied  its  primitive  log  cabin — 
the  roads  were  but  cart-paths  in  the  intermi- 
nable forest — the  streams  were  in  most  in- 
stances without  bridges,  and  the  soil  deep 
enough  to  render  every  travelled  way  almost 
impassable.  And  yet,  it  was  among  these 
settlements,  that  the  preacher  of  Universal- 
ism  was  to  find  hearers,  and  friends,  and 
hope  to  raise  up  congregations!  The  means 
of  travelling  adapted  to  the  place  and  the 
times  existed;  and  with  the  social  habits  and 
religious  feelings  of  the  Eastern  States,  the 
scattered  families  would,  and  they  did  come 
together  to  worship  God.  The  Methodist 
Circuit  Preacher  and  the  Missionary  were 
already  there.  But  how  difterent  their  cir- 
cumstances! They  were  sustained  by  estab- 
lishments that  kept  watch  over  their  progress. 
14* 


162  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

But  alone,  with  few  except  strangers  who 
could  sympathize  with  him,  the  preacher  of 
a  world's  salvation  went  forth  literally 
''without  purse  or  scrip,"  in  humble  reliance 
upon  the  providence  of  God  and  the  power 
of  divine  truth. 

INTRODUCTION. 

It  was  in  one  of  the  oldest  and  largest  of 
these  settlements,  that  an  appointment  was 
made  for  a  Lecture  in  the  school  house  im- 
mediately after  the  close  of  a  Presbyterian 
meeting.  No  Universalist  preacher  had  ever 
been  there — few  persons  knew  much,  if  any 
thing  about  the  doctrine;  and  some  pains 
had  doubtless  been  taken  to  awaken  prejudi- 
ces and  excite  apprehension  against  the 
stranger.  But  the  liberality  of  some  and  the 
curiosity  of  others  were  proof  against  the 
suggestions  of  bigotry  or  ignorance — and  al- 
most the  entire  congregation  remained  to  hear 
and  certainly  to  see,  the  man  or  the  monster 
that  could  vindicate  such  a  heresy.  As  the 
place  was  approached,  long  lines  of  men, 
women  and  children  were  met,  whom  it  was 
natural  to  suppose   w^ere  returning  home. — 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES  163 

f 

But  this  was  not  the  object.  It  was  evi- 
dently for  the  single  purpose  of  seeing  the 
preacher  before  he  entered  the  house.  For 
with  few  exceptions  they  returned  and  re- 
mained through  the  service;  evidently  sur- 
prised, that  the  usual  forms  of  worship  should 
be  observed  by  a  Universalist. 

What  an  object  of  curiosity!  A  lean, 
pale,  young  man — broiling  under  a  burning 
AufTust  noon — half  exhausted  by  the  fatigues 
of  a  morning  service  and  a  ride  of  nearly 
ten  miles — an  utter  stranger  to  every  person 
in  the  congregation  except  two  or  three,  and 
by  no  means  assured  that  he  would  meet 
with  a  courteous  reception.  And  yet  no 
living  thing  of  earth — probably  not  a  ghost 
from  the  regions  of  the  dead,  could  have 
been  gazed  at  Vvith  more  intensity.  But  all 
else  was  civil  and  kind.  Of  the  feelings  en- 
tertained, and  the  kind  and  degree  of  knowl- 
edge, possessed  by  some  persons — and  they 
were  by  no  means  singular,  respecting  the 
mode  and  manner  of  conducting  public 
worship  among  Universalists — a  tolerable 
idea  may  be  formed  by  the  following — 


164  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 


INCIDENT. 

A  farmer  in  the  settlement,  whose  zeal  and 
indignation  against  heresy,  would  not  permit 
him  to  attend,  had  in  his  service  what  is 
called  a  "hired  man,"  who  braved  the  danger 
of  hearing  a  Universalist  sermon,  and  the 
wrath  of  bigotry.  On  returning  home  from 
meeting,  the  following  conversation  substan- 
tially took  place: 

Farmer — ''Well  John,  you  stayed  to  the 
Universahst  meeting,  did  you?" 

John — ''Yes,  Sir,  I  thought  I  would  stay 
and  hear." 

F. — "Did  thev  have  anv  sinmnDf?" 

J. — "Yes,  Sir,  they  used  our  books." — 
(Watt's.) 

F. — "And  did  the  minister  pray?" 

J. — "Yes,  Sir,  and  a  glorious  prayer  it  was 
too." 

F. — "Well — that  beats  me,  that  he  should 
have  the  audacity  to  pray.  What  could  such 
a  man  pray  fori" 

J. — "I  should  think  for  almost  every 
thing." 

F.— "Did  he  take  a  text  from  the  Bible?" 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  165 

J. — '-To  be  sure — what  else  should  he 
take  a  text  fromt" 

F. — "But  what  for  a  seriiioii  did  you  have? 
He  told  you  some  strange  things  I  suppose — 
such  as  t!iat  you  might  live  as  you  liked, com- 
mit all  manner  of  crimes  and  go  to  Heaven 
in  your  sins.*' 

J. — ''No,  t^ii — he  said  no  such  things,  and 
what  he  did  say  was  as  good  as  any  thing 
your  minister  says.  And  then  he  reeled  it 
off  by  word  of  mouth,  without  any  notes,  as 
last  as  ne  could  speak.'' 

F. — "Well,  well— we  wont  talk  any 
more  about  it.  We're  bad  enough  now 
w^ithout  Universalism?" 

J. — "So  I  think;  and  so  there  is  little  dan- 
ger that  Universalism  will  hurt  usf' 

There  proved  to  be  so  much  liberality  of 
sentiment  in  this  place,  that  something  like  a 
regular  train  of  appointments  was  established 
at  intervals  of  about  four  weeks.  The  at- 
tendance was  vmiformly  good;  and  the  inter- 
est c'cited  by  the  new  doctrine,  well  nigh 
overwhelmed  the  power  and  the  sliow  of  op- 
position. The  weight  of  character,  and  prob- 
ably   a  majority  of  numbers,  were  palpa])ly 


166  niSTOIMCAL  SKETCHES. 

on  the  side  of  liberal  principles.  It  should 
not  however  be  inferred,  that  there  were 
many  real  Univcrsalists  among  them.  To 
the  far  greater  part,  the  doctrine  of  illimitable 
grace,  was  entirely  a  new  thing.  They 
were  disposed  to  think  that  it  v/bs  worthy  of 
some  attention;  and  some  were  convinced 
that  it  possessed  high  clain-is  to  their  adop- 
tion. And  feeling  themselves  absolved  from 
the  religious  connections  in  which  they  had 
been  educated,  they  acted  with  the  peculiar 
frankness  and  independence  so  characteristic 
of  the  inhabitants  of  a  new  country.  There 
was  none  of  the  sly,  covert  arts  pj'actised  to 
avoid  being  known  among  these  favorable  to 
a  new  and  unpopular  rehgion,  that  are  so 
common  and  so  despicable  in  older  commu- 
nities. All  parties  came  out  in  open  day 
light — moderate  opposers  tendered  personal 
hospitalities  to  the  preacher;  and  in  some 
few  instances,  opened  their  houses  for  eve- 
ning Lectures.  It  is  gratifying  to  place  such 
conduct  on  record,  as  what  should  be  re- 
membered to  the  honor  of  those  whose  de- 
nominations have  seldom  sought  honor  from 
us  by  a  similar  liberality.     Nor  is  it  less  grat- 


HISTORiCAf.  SKETCHES.  1G7 

i tying  to  know,  that  after  many  years  of  un- 
certainty respecting  the  state  of  Universal- 
ism  in  that  place — a  large  and  flourishing  so- 
ciety has  recentl}'  arisen,  furnished  itself 
with  a  neat  and  commodious  church,  and  not 
only  enjoys  the  benefits  of  a  stated  ministry, 
but  a  great  degree  of  prosperity. 

GEXESEE  BRANCH  ASSOCIATIOX. 

This  body  was  organized  two  years  pre- 
vious, as  a  Branch  of  the  Western  Associa- 
tiion;  and  included  all  that  part  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  lying  West  of  the  Cayuga 
Lake.  The  district  of  country  thus  em- 
braced, was  in  round  numbers,  some  75 
miles  in  breadth,  and  250  miles  in  length,  and 
probably  included  at  this  time  six  or  eight  or- 
ganized societies,  and  as  many  other  congre- 
gations. It  held  its  annual  session  this  year 
(1816)  in  LeRoy,  Genesee  County,  which 
was  probably  its  first  introduction  West  of 
Genesee  River.  Without  aroruinor  that  chil- 
drcn  are  very  certainly  inclined  to  think  and 
act  like  their  parents — it  will  sufiice  to  say 
that  this  Association  conducted  its  business 
upon  the  precedents  established  by  the  eccle- 


168  HISTOUICAL   SKETCHES. 

siastical  body  by  which    it,  had   been  consti- 
tuted. 

In  those  times,  v/c  had  no  '-standins:  com- 
mittee  on  Fellowship  and  Ordination/'  to 
which  application  for  either  could  be  made 
during  the  recess  of  the  Association.  It  was 
customary  to  appoint  a  committee,  jrro  tern, 
at  each  session — whose  report  was  received 
and  confirmed  almost  as  a  matter  of  course. 
Now  nothing  can  be  more  obvious,  than  that 
such  committees, — frequently  composed  of 
visiting  ministers,  and  of  course  entire  stran- 
gers to  the  candidates— could  but  very  im- 
perfectly discharge  the  duties  devolved  on 
them.  They  could  know  very  little  of  the 
preaching  talents  of  the  candidates — and 
still  less  of  their  personal  and  moral  worth. 
They  were  liable  to  constant  and  gross  im- 
position, even  when  no  imposition  w^as  in- 
tended. For  they  were  compelled  to  rely 
on  the  statements  of  persons,  wholly  incom- 
petent to  judge  of  the  requisite  qualifications 
of  a  preacher — and  unwilling  to  express  their 
real  opinions  respecting  the  moral  worth  of  a 
neighbor,  w^ho  took  a  fancy  to  prepagate 
Universaiism. 


filSTORlC-AL  SKETCHES.  169 

A  specimen  of  this  mode  of  precedure  was 
given  at  full  length,  at  this  session  of  the 
Genesee  Branch  Association.  It  was  ascer- 
tained, that  a  candidate  would  apply  for  a 
"Letter  of  Fellowship,"'  as  a  preacher  of  the 
ReconciHation.  But  no  one  seemed  to  know 
who  it  was — he  had  not  been  present  during 
the  first  day  of  the  session, — and  it  is  be- 
lieved the  application  was  made  to  the  Com- 
mittee, by  a  third  person.  What  could  the 
committee  do?  They  very  probably  did  the 
best  they  could  with  their  views  of  the  mat- 
ter— and  as  it  was  understood  that  the  can- 
didate would  be  present  on  the  second  day, 
it  was  resolved  to  associate  him  in  som.e  of 
the  public  services  for  the  purpose  of  ascer. 
taining  his  gifts. 

The  time  arrived — and  the  veritable  ap- 
plicant made  his  appearance.  He  was  some 
thirtv  years  of  ac^e,  of  low  stature  and  embar- 
rassed — without  a  coat,  the  sleeves  of  his  lin- 
en partly  rolled  up,  and  his  hair — such  a  head 
of  hair  would  have  done  honor  to  a  second 
Absalom — but  now  probably  from  exercise 
or  fear,  it  stood  out  nearly  perpendicular 
to  a  common  centre,  the  circumference  of 
15 


170  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

which  no  common  hat  could  cover.  How 
he  contrived  to  wear  a  hat — or  whether  he 
ever  did  so,  was  not  ascertained.  He  was 
seated  in  due  form  and  courtesy,  by  the  side 
of  the  morning  preacher,  and  made  one  of  the 
prayers.  This  service  he  performed  to  very 
general  acceptance — it  was  fervid,  earnest, 
and  evidently  the  very  sincere  supplication  of 
an  honest  and  feeling  heart.  And  on  this 
single  test  of  his  ability,  he  received  a  "Let- 
ter of  Fellowship,"  as  a  minister  of  the  re- 
coiiciliation.  Such  a  procedure  was  not  al- 
together without  a  precedent — for  Philip  met 
the  Eunuch,  baptised  him,  and  let  him  go. 
But  there  was  this  difference  in  the  cases, 
the  Evangelist  acted  under  divine  mstiuc- 
tions,  and  the  Association  on  its  own  falhble 
judgement.  To  his  honor  however,  the  can- 
didate proved  to  be  a  good  man;  though  his 
ministry  has  only  been  occasional.  And 
while  there  was  much  of  the  strange — if  not 
ludicrous,  in  the  circumstances  of  his  admis- 
sion into  the  order,  it  was  honestly  intended, 
and  is  not  known  to  have  produced  any  evil 
results. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHEvS.  171 

THE    LECTURE. 

It  was  customary  on  the  meetings  of  the 
Association,  for  the  preachers  to  go  out  sev- 
eral miles  for  an  evening  Lecture,  to  such 
places  as  the  friends  designated.  In  this 
way,  several  different  neighborhoods  w^ere 
furnished  with  the  opportunity  of  hearing 
the  gospel,  which  no  other  occasion  might 
soon  furnish.  One  of  these  oppointments 
was  made  for  one  of  our  oldest  preachers — 
w^hose  kind  spirit  and  conciliating  manner, 
w^ere  deemed  sufficient  to  secure  a  patient 
hearing,  and  pledges  of  favorable  results. 

The  meeting  w^as  held  in  a  small  and 
miserable  school  house,  lit  up  with  two  or  at 
most  three  diminutive  tallow  candles,  the 
liame  of  which  was  rendered  extremely  du- 
bious by  the  vagrant  puffs  of  air  from  the 
broken  window^s;  and  the  concentrated  light 
of  which  was  barely  sufficient  to  enable  the 
speaker  to  see  the  faces  of  his  hearers. 
The  seats  were  nearly  filled,  and  the  services 
progressed — the  preacher  establishing,  and 
confirming  by  brief  arguments  and  numerous 
quotations  from  the  Bible,  the  great  and  mo- 


172  HISTORICAT,    SKETCIinS. 

mentoas  truth  of  Uiiiversal  Salvation.  He 
had  proceeded  in  this  way  in  his  nsual  fa- 
mihar  style  for  some  thirty  minutes,  when 
an  event  perfectly  illustrative  of  the  state  of 
public  feelings,  and  of  the  spirit  in  which  it 
was  sometimes  met — occurred.  The  preach- 
er had  closed  an  argument  with  a  proof  text 
so  clear  and  decisive,  that  he  announced  the 
inference  to  be  the  substantial  truth  of  Uni- 
versalisrn. 

This  was  too  much  for  one  of  the  hearers. 
Half  rising  in  the  obscurity,  he  broke  in  upon 
the  speaker  with — "That's  a  lie,  a  lie,  a  lie," 
in  a  most  angry  tone,  at  the  same  time 
making  his  way  to  the  door.  The  preacher, 
not  in  the  least  disconcerted,  and  in  his  ever 
mild  and  peculiar  manner,  called  out — ''Stop, 
stop — Brother,  do'nt  be  so  hasty — stop  and 
let  us  talk  the  matter  over."  But  the  man 
was  too  angry  and  too  intent  on  making  his 
escape,  to  heed  the  request.  But  he  had 
reckoned  without  his  host,  and  soon  found  to 
his  amazement,  that  it  was  no  easy  matter 
to  get  beyond  the  reach  of  the  demand  to 
stay  and  hear.  For  the  preacher  seized  the 
only  candle  within  his  reach — rushed  to  the 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES  17'^ 

door  laid  hold  on  the  retiring  and  angry  man 
by  the  arm— and  literally  detained  him  by 
force.  During  this  movement,  the  words, 
'^stop^  stop,  Brother,^'  were  repeated  several 
times.  The  man  finding  himself  "brought 
up''  in  the  entry,  or  just  outside  the  door< 
consented  to  hold  a  parley — 'the  result  of 
which  was,  that  the  preacher  led  him  back 
in  triumph  by  the  light  of  his  candle:  and 
he  remained  quietly  through  the  services. 

THE    LABOR    OF    ONE     DAY. 

It  is  not  intended  to  represent,  that 
preachers  of  Universalism  performed  daily, 
such  labors  as  we  are  about  to  describe;  but 
that  most  of  them  did  at  the  time  occasion- 
ally perform  such^  is  not  to  be  questioned. 
And  that  they  were  at  this  period,  (1816,) 
in  the  fullest  sence,  "working  men,"  might 
be  shown  by  the  distance  which  they  trav- 
elled, and  the  number  of  discourses  which 
they  delivered. 

At  the  urgent  request  of  a  preacher  pre- 
sent at  the  Genesee  Branch  Association,  who 
resided  in  the  vicinity  of  Canandaigua,  an  ap* 
pointment  was  made  for  a  young  preacher 
15* 


174  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

on  the  following  Monday  in  the  town  of 
Gorhani — distant  some  60  miles.  The  young 
man  was  to  preach  on  the  intervening  Sun- 
day, off  from  the  dii'ect  route,  and  the  dis- 
tance thence  to  the  place  of  subsequent 
appointment,  was  unknown.  Travelling  on 
horseback,  at  noon  on  Monday,  the  young 
man  had  reached  what  is  now  the  City  of 
Rochester — then  principally  covered  with 
primeval  trees — a  few  newly  erected  build- 
ings, more  in  progress,  and  innumerable 
stumps  either  standing  or  piled  in  long  rows 
in  what  was  to  be  the  principal  streets — and 
forty  miles  from  the  place  of  meeting. 

The  appointment  was  at  Jive  in  the  after- 
noon— and  as  mile  after  mile  and  hour  after 
hour  were  counted  off,  the  physical  exhaus- 
tion induced  a  strange  feeling  of  apathy;  and 
to  reach  the  place,  to  find  friends,  to  lie  down 
to  rest — and  if  necessary  to  die,  occupied 
almost  entirely  the  languid  thoughts.  He 
reached  the  place  within  thirty  minutes  of 
the  designated  time,  having  travelled  in  about 
eight  hours  nearly  sixty  miles  without  re- 
freshment. How  grateful  was  the  ''cup  of 
cold  water,"  which  restored  his  almost  faini- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  lib 

ing  spirit — and  the  sight  of  a  few  friends 
who  sympathised  in  his  sufferings.  The 
meeting  was  in  a  private  house,  the  Uttle 
congregation  was  ah'eady  there;  and  in  a 
few  minutes  he  was  discoursing  to  them  con- 
cerning the  great  salvation,  half  unconscious 
of  his  weariness.  With  what  terrible  viv- 
idness are  the  sufferings,  the  solitude  the 
exhaustion  of  that  day  of  toil  impressed  upon 
a  memory  abundantly  tenacious  of  scenes 
and  events  less  worthy  of  recollection!  And 
poor  and  wretched  as  he  found  the  author  of 
the  appointment,  destitute  of  every  thing  for 
comfort,  except  a  family,  and  wanting  the 
self-respect  that  belonged  to  his  profession— 
so  keen  were  the  recollections  of  the  anguish 
of  the  preceding  day.  that  it  was  impossible 
to  feel  the  charity  and  pity  for  him  which  his 
condition  seemed  to  demand.  It  might  not 
be  very  kind  or  indeed  right,  to  indulge  these 
feelings;  but  it  must  be  a  very  active  and 
persevering  benignity,  that  may  not  be  tax- 
ed beyond  endurance. 

How  rapid,  and  how  surprising  have  been 
the  changes  wrought  by  a  few  years  in  the 
region  to  which  reference  has  just  been  made. 


176  HISTORICAL  SKETCHE.9» 

For  fifteen  miles  to  the  southwest  of  Roches* 
ter,  there  were  probably  not  a  dozen  fami- 
hes  on  the  main  road — and  that  village,  was 
then  in  the  mid&t  of  a  forest.  But  the  moral 
changes  have  kept  pace  with  the  physical.— 
In  the  distance  of  sixty  miles  there  was  but 
one  Society  of  Universahsts;  and  very  few, 
if  any  individuals  out  of  its  immediate  vi- 
cinity, known  to  believe  the  restitution.— 
There  are  now  some  eight  or  ten  societies 
with  nearly  as  many  churches,in  that  region, 
holding  and  exerting  their  share  of  influ- 
ence over  community.  For  this  moral  prog- 
ress— this  advancement  of  liberal  Christian- 
ity, the  denomination  is  greatly  indebted  to 
Messrs.  Billinghurst  and  Knapp — the  former 
of  whom  was  a  strong  and  faithful  advocate 
at  home — the  latter  went  from  house  to 
house,  '^preaching  the  kingdom  of  God." 

A  NEW    SOCIETY. 

The  congregation  in  Wiliiamsville,  w^as 
composed  of  liberal  persons,  although  more 
or  less  of  the  individuals  were  members  of 
the  churches  of  opposing  sects.  The  Uni- 
versalist  meeting  was  the   only   one  which 


4" 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  177 

%vas  regularly  sustained;  and  of  course,  those 
who  felt  it  a  duty  to  attend  church,  as  well 
as  those  who  preferred  the  doctrine,  were 
general y  hearers.  Under  these  circumstances 
and  after  a  little  inquir}'  respecting  the  prac- 
ticability of  finding  a  sufficient  number  to 
sustain  the  effort — it  was  determined  to  form 
a  society.  The  legal  forms  and  prelimina- 
ries were  accordingly  observed;  and  a  socie- 
ty duly  organized  consisting |of  about  twenty- 
five  male  members.  This  occurred  proba- 
bly in  August,  1816,  and  constituted  the  third 
society  West  of  Genesee  River.  Notwith- 
standing the  gratification  felt  by  friends  in 
this  event,  it  was  still  also  felt  that  it  was 
but  a  solitary  point  in  a  vast  moral  wilder- 
ness— a  single  green  spot,  constantly  liable 
to  be  overwhelmed  and  lost  in  the  mass  of 
surrounding  and  discordaat  matter.  And 
these  anticipations  proved  in  the  event,  to  be 
fcut  too  well  founded.  There  were  but  few 
substantial  Universalists — few  that  had  any 
proper  appreciation  of  the  nature  and  influ- 
ence of  the  great  doctrine  of  a  world's  sal- 
vation. AVhile  those  remained  in  the  place, 
the  society  maintained  its  identity.     But  they 


178  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

removed — and  with  them  went  the  strength, 
the  moral  power,  and  finally  the  very  exis- 
tence of  the  society.  Let  it  not  be  inferred 
that  there  was  an  abandonment  of  principle^ 
or  a  renunciation  of  truth  in  this  dissolntion 
of  mere  organization.  Those  who  had  the 
principal  influence,  merely  carried  that  influ- 
ence with  them,  and  exerted  it  successfully 
in  other  places,  and  over  other  communities. 

CHAUTAUQUE 1 817. 

Several  pressing  invitations  had  been  re- 
ceived from  individuals  in  Chautauque  Co. 
for  a  preaching  visit  from  the  young  man  lo- 
cated at  Wilhamsville.  Accordingly,  he  vis- 
ited and  preached  in  different  parts  of  the 
County,  early  in  January.  This  was  also 
new  ground.  But  there  was  the  general  dis- 
position, so  visible  in  other  places,  to  hear 
what  was  called — "the  new  doctrine."  The 
preacher  was  cordially  received;  and  the 
congregations  both  on  the  Sundays,  and 
the  week-days,  were  unusually  large.  There 
were  a  few  Eastera  people,  who  had  drunk 
at  the  fountains  of  truth;  and  the  avidity 
with  which  they  again  gathered    to  its  w^a- 


niSl'ORICAL  SKETCHES;  179 

lei's,  can  be  better  conceived,  than  described. 
Isolated  from  the  friends  of  their  early  life — 
cut  off  by  distance,  from  the  associations 
and  many  of  the  privileges  of  former  years, 
there  was  to  them,  a  renewing  of  many 
grateful  scenes  and  seasons,  in  once  more 
meeting  to  worship  God  with  Universahsts. 
These  exerted  themselves  to  induce  others  to 
attend  and  share  their  joy.  They  spread 
the  notices  of  appointment— they  obviated 
objections— and  in  their  zeal,  they  greatly 
overrated  the  talents  of  the  preacher.  But 
their  object  v.'as  attained;  and  apathy,  and 
indifference,  and  prejudice,  yielded  before 
their  enthusiasm — and  people  of  all  creeds 
and  no  creed,  came  and  listened  to  the  mes- 
sage of  Universal  Salvation. 

This  visit  was  the  preliminary  step  in  the 
estabhshment  of  a  circuit,  which  in  its  wind- 
ings to  and  from  the  vicinity  of  Buffalo,  em- 
braced about  250  miles.  And  from  this 
time,  during  most  of  the  year,  this  distance 
was  very  regularly  travelled  every  four 
weeks.  The  number  of  discourses  usually 
delivered  in  making  the  circuit,  varied  from 
twenty  to   thirty-two — that  is,    from   five  to 


180       HISTORICAL  SKETCHES, 

eight  per  week.  It  was  unquestionably  an 
act  of  great  courtesy  and  charity  in  the  re- 
spective auditories,  to  call  these  discourses 
by  the  name  of  sermons.  However  this  may 
be — he  v/ho  delivered  them,  akvays  felt  the 
deepest  gratitude  to  those  who  condescended 
to  hear  them.  Such  as  they  were — they 
w^ere  as  well  adapted  to  the  circumstances, 
as  the  nature  of  the  case  would  admit. — • 
They  were  generally  doctrinal,  in  the  pecu- 
liar sense  of  the  term;  and  if  not  very  pro- 
found, were  such  as  the  public  mind  seemed 
to  demand. 

It  was  the  wish  of  friends,  and  the  prevail- 
ing expectation  of  others,  that  the  distin- 
guishing doctrines  of  Universalists  should  be 
stated,  proved  and  defended  in  every  dis- 
course. For  it  was  entirely  a  new  thing  to 
the  many;  and  by  the  few  to  whom  it  was 
not,  it  was  but  imperfectly  understood.  It 
was  not  foreseen  however,  that  a  compliance 
with  this  general  desire,  would  involve  the 
performance  of  yet  another  and  a  very  dif- 
ferent work — that  of  exposing  the  weakness 
and  absurdity  of  the  dominant  creeds.  And 
familiarity  with  this  mode  of  enforcing  truth, 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  181 

\ 

by  exposing  error,  led  on  to  other  conse- 
quences. We  became  unmercifully  severe 
upon  other  sects.  -We? — Yes,  for  the  prac- 
tice obtained  almost  universally,  amonp^  the 
ministers  of  the  denomination. 

LIBERALITY. 

There    are   few   things   that  give    to  the 
friends  of  a   system  Vvhich  is  generally  de- 
spised and  reprobated,  so  much  pleasure,  as 
to  meet  with  genuine  liberality  in  an  oppo- 
nent.    It  makes  us  feel  our  common  broth- 
erhood, under  the  best  and  kindest  influences; 
while  we  perceive  that  there   are  good  and 
noble  minds  which  do  not  spurn  us  because 
we  are  not  of  their  sect,  or  party.     An   in- 
stance in  point,  occurred  during  one  of  the 
monthly    circuits    above  named,  at  a  public 
house  on  the    shore    of    Lake    Erie.     The 
long  winter   evening   was  spent  in  company 
with   a   sensible,  well   educated,   frank    and 
kind  hearted  Presbyterian   cler2\aian.     He 
was  already  on  the   "dovv^n  hill  of  life,"  and 
had  evidently   seen   and   felt  many   of  the 
changes  which  come  over  man.     ''Ah,"  said 
he,  ''your  doctrine  appears  to  me  to  be  very 
16 


182  HISTORICAL  SKETCHED. 

erroneous;  but  it  must  be  admitted,  that  it  is 
an  error  on  the  side  of  charity,  and  has  many 
things  to  recommend  it  to  the  benevolent 
heart.  And  representing  as  it  does,  the  De- 
ity, in  all  his  character  and  perfections,  in  the 
most  amiable  light — it  seems  almost  illiberal 
and  narrow-minded,  not   to  wish  you  every 


success." 


In  the  course  of  conversation,  he  was  in- 
formed of  the  arrogance  and  incivility  of  one 
of  his  young  brethren,  on  a  public  occasion, 
in  w^hich  he  happened  to  be  associated  wuth 
a  Universalist.  To  this,  he  replied — ''Well, 
you  pitied  him,  I  hope;  that  you  forgave 
him  ought  not  to  be  doubted.  He  certainly 
needed  pity;  for  he  must  have  appeared 
very  ridiculous  and  contemptible  in  the  eyes 
of  all  sensible  and  respectable  persons,  in 
displaying  his  bigotry  when  he  was  publicly 
bound  to  show  a  tolerant  spirit.  But  you 
may  console  yourself  with  the  assurance, 
that  one  Presbyterian  clergymen  at  least,  de- 
spises such  conduct;  and  we  will  all  hope, 
that  as  he  grows  older  he  will  grow  wiser, 
and  that  his  zeal  will  be  tempered  with  more 
knowledge  and  more  charity." 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  183 

He  enquired  if  the  preacher   with  whom 
he   was   conversing,    had   ever   known  any 
thing  of  Rev.  Geo.  Richards,  and  especially 
of  the  manner  of  his  death — and  whether  it 
was    not   common    for   oilr   opposers   of  all 
sects,   to  make   unkind   remarks    respecting 
him.     He  was  told,  that  it  was  known  that 
Mr.  Richards  committed  suicide  in  a  parox- 
ism of  insanity,  while   confined  in  the  Penn- 
sylvania Hospital.     He    then  said  he  was  a 
class  mate  of  Mr.   R.  when  in  college — that 
notwithstanding  the  change  of  his  views  from 
a  Congregationalist  to   a   Universalist,  they 
had  always  Hved  in  friendship — that  he  and 
every   man   knew^   that   insanity    was  not  a 
crime,  but   a  disease,  and  consequently  that 
no  person   when  insane  was  accountable  for 
his  actions.     And  he    concluded  bv  savino- 
with  much   feehng  and  emphasis — "If  there 
is  a  Saint   in  Heaven,  I  believe  that  George 
Richards   is   there    with   him.*'      This  was 
wcithy    of  a  Fenelon — why   can   not   such 
sentiments   more   prevail;    and   man   be  es- 
teemed  for  his   moral  worth  independent  of 
his  creed? 


184  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 


ALL  THINGS  TO  ALL  MEN. 

It  may  be  useful  to  place  here,  an  incident, 
which  contrasts  in  some  particulars  with  the 
foregoing;  as  it  may  serve  to  show  the  dif- 
ference between  a  practical  hberality  under 
the  strong  restraints  of  a  creed,  and  a  liberal 
theory  that  disregards  all  opinion.  A  reli- 
gion that  was  worth  the  labor,  and  suffer- 
ings, and  death  of  Christ,  is  worthy  of  our 
honest  and  open  profession.  So  far  nearly 
every  member  of  every  denomination  is 
ready  to  go  in  theory.  But  unhappily  for 
the  purity  and  simplicity  of  Christianity,  the- 
ory and  practice  do  not  always  coincide,  and 
are  by  no  means  certain  to  be  found  in  the 
same  person.  Many  a  non-comformist  in 
theory — perhaps  in  principle — will  be  found 
practically  of  most  unimpeachable  conform- 
ity to  the  dominant  creed.  So  that  what- 
ever they  may  be  in  reality,  one  thing  is  cer- 
tain— they  are  determined  never  to  be  hung 
or  burned  for  the  rights  of  conscience.  They 
would  as  soon  worship  with  the  Papist  as 
Protestant,  were  the  chances  of  reputation 
or  interest   involved — thev  would   acknowl- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  185 

edge  that  Mahomet  was  a  prophet  of  God, 
to  preserve  their  character  among  the  faith- 
ful— and  they  would  perform  the  mummery 
of  a  pagan  ritual  and  w^orship  at  the  shrine 
of  an  Idol,  sooner  than  endanger  a  single 
hair  of  their  heads. 

Unfortunately  these  men  are  of  a  class 
who  lead,  or  who  aspire  to  lead  the  public 
mind.  They  are  not  content  to  follow  their 
own  bearings  alone.  And  though  their 
course  is  decried  by  almost  all  men,  still 
thousands  from  indolence  or  want  of  moral 
courage,  adopt  it  as  the  most  convenient,  or 
the  most  secure.  The  odium  of  policy  is  so 
softened  by  the  plausible  sound  of  such  terms 
as — philosophical,  or  liberal  christians,  that 
many  well  meaning  persons  mistake  indiffer- 
ence and  even  skepticism  for  a  more  impro- 
ved and  more  rational  Christianity. 

In  the  Summer  of  1816,  a  clergyman  vis- 
ited a  Universalist  family  with  whom  he  had 
been  previously  acquainted,  and  who  at  the 
time  were  boarding  a  Universalist  preacher. 
The  mere  forms  of  introduction  served  to 
designate  the  religious  professions  of  each  of 
the  clergymen,  who  independent  of  the  dis- 
16* 


186  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

parity  of  age  and  attainments,  met  on  equal 
terms.  The  conversation  was  free — the  vis- 
itor spoke  of  the  progress  of  Hberal  opinions 
both  in  Europe  and  America — of  the  sym- 
pathy which  ought  to  exist  among  the  more 
Hberal  sects,  and  of  the  common  cause  which 
they  should  make  against  an  overwhelming 
orthodoxy.  The  coincidence  of  the  leading 
doctrines  of  several  sects,  was  spoken  of, 
and  of  course  among  them,  the  great  doc- 
trine of  the  final  reconciliation  and  happiness 
of  all  the  human  race.  He  admitted  his  be- 
lief in  Universal  restitufion,  and  treated  the 
dogma  of  endless  misery  as  only  worthy  of 
rejection  or  contempt. 

Question — ''Then  you  do  not  think  that 
the  Bible  teaches  the  doctrine  of  endless 
misery?" 

Answer — "No:  some  believe  that  it 
teaches  the  annihilation  of  the  wicked;  but 
I  think  that  the  scriptures  teach  the  restora- 
tion of  all  mankind." 

Q. — "Then  you  do  not  suppose  that  ;he 
words  rendered  eternal,  everlasting,  forever, 
can  prove  endless  durationl" 

A. — "No;  and  no  man  with  any  tolerable 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  187 

knowledge  of  the  language  in  which  the 
scriptures  were  written,  can  suppose  it.  He 
must  know  that  the  words  are  equivocal,  and 
that  the  thing  must  first  be  proved  to  be  end- 
less in  duration.  But  it  has  never  been  pro- 
ved that  misery  is  necessarily  endless." 

Q. — "How  then  do  you  dispose  of  this 
matter,  when  you  have  occasion  to  use  these 
terms  in  connexion  with  punishment]  Your 
hearers  attach  a  meaning  to  them  which 
you  know  to  be  wrong — do  you  set  them 
rightl" 

A. — "That  is  no  concern  of  mine.  I  use 
the  terms  as  I  find  them,  and  leave  others  to 
unerstand  them  as  they  please."  He  w^as  a 
Unitarian. 

A  MIXED  CONGREGATION. 

In  the  new  settlements,  and  during  the 
long  winter-evenings,  it  was  customary  to 
hold  Lectures  in  private  houses.  This  affor- 
ded an  opportunity  to  many  to  attend  a  Uni- 
versalist  meeting,  who  could  not  otherwise 
do  so;  and  the  neighbors  usually  came  in 
from  several  miles.  We  say  neighbors — be- 
cause, when  people  are  scarce,  those  within 
the  distance    of  some  ten  miles,  are  so  con- 


188  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

sidered.  This  circle  narrows  as  the  popula- 
tion increases— and  it  is  scarcely  a  figure  of 
speech,  to  say  that  the  very  feelings  and 
sympathies  of  the  heart,  contract  in  the  same 
ratio. 

In  all  new  countries  blest  with  a  good  soil, 
the  roads  are  utterly  detestible — often  almost 
impassable;  so  that  nature  seems  to  have 
passed  an  interdict  upon  all  communication, 
except  b}^  daylight.  It  is  therefore  the  sea- 
son of  winter,  proper,  when  solid  ice  has 
been  substituted  for  two  feet  of  mud — and 
when  an  additional  two  or  three  feet  of  snow 
has  been  well  trodden  and  pathed,  that  the 
distant  neighbors  enter  in  good  earnest  upon 
social  communion.  Then  every  conceivable 
mode  of  conveyance  at  all  adapted  to  the 
season,  is  put  in  requisition.  Huge  sleds 
drawn  by  oxen,  and  scarcely  less  bulky  and 
heavy  sleighs  and  cutters  drawn  by  horses, 
are  turned  to  account  in  the  daily  and  nightly 
transportation  of  passengers. 

An  important  appendage  of  nearly  every 
family — is  a  dog.  They  are  kept  for  every 
day  use,  for  protection  at  night,  for  company 
for  the    women   at   home,    and  for  the  men 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  189 

and  boys  when  abroad;  and  constitute  a  kind 
of  family  factotum.  And  whenever  the 
household  makes  a  regular  turn  out,  Grow- 
ler has  his  hoUiday,  and  is  sure  to  make  one 
of  the  party.  On  special  occasions,  such  as 
trainings,  town  meetings  and  elections,  he  is 
often  one  of  the  most  quiet  and  peaceable. 

It  v/as  at  an  evenino^  Lecture  during  the 
sleighing,  when  a  general  turn-out  filled  the 
rather  spacious  room  of  a  good  Methodist 
neighbor — for  Methodists  opened  their  houses 
for  Universalist  preaching — that  the  services 
were  disturbed  by  an  almost  unceasing  noise. 
The  speaker  gave  as  Httle  attention  to  it  as 
possible,  and  made  no  remark  respecting  it; 
but  endeavored  to  mind  his  own  business — 
which  will  generally  be  found  best  under  any 
circumstances — and  as  all  appeared  atten- 
tive, matters  were  suffered  to  take  their 
course.  In  due  time  the  services  ended;  and 
as  the  moon  would  rise  directly,  the  congre- 
gation sat,  sung  and  chatted  during  the  in- 
terval. This  gave  the  speaker  an  opportu- 
nity to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  annoyance 
which  had  occurred:  there  were  nine  dogs,and 
fourteen  young  children  in  the  congregation! 


190  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES. 

NOT  FELLOWSHIPPED. 

An  evening  Lecture  of  several  weeks 
standing,  was  held  in  a  vicinity  where  a  few 
active  friends  exerted  themselves  to  secure 
the  attendance  of  a  good  congregation.  The 
meetinfT  was  held  in  a  school  house — one  of 
the  most  commodious  in  the  whole  region. — 
A  Methodist  clergyman  of  considerable  no- 
toriety, taught  school  in  the  building;  and 
knowing  that  many  of  his  patrons  with  their 
families  would  be  present — he  also  attended. 
He  very  courteously  took  a  seat  with  the 
speaker,  to  whom  he  was  already  known; 
and  at  the  close  of  the  discourse  was  asked 
to  make  the  concluding  prayer.  He  ex- 
pressed his  entire  wiUingness  to  do  so — but 
desired  first  to  make  one  remark  to  the  con- 
gregation. This  request  was  of  course 
granted  to  him,  and  in  substance,  he  went  on 
to  say-^"That  as  a  clergyman,  he  trusted 
that  it  would  evor  be  his  pleasure,  as  it  was 
his  duty,  to  jway,  at  all  suitable  times  and  in 
all  places — that  having  been  invited  to  close 
the  present  ser\  ices  Mith  prayer,  he  felt  at 
perfect  liberty  to  comply  with  tliat  request 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHEi?!.  191 

— but  wished  the  congregation  to  understand 
that  he  did  so  merely  as  a  minister,  and  not 
as  expressing  any  fellowship  for  the  preacher 
or  his  opinions." 

He  then  kneeled,  and  poured  out  before 
the  altar  of  God,  one  of  the  most  fervent 
supplications  ever  offered  in  human  language. 
It  was  a  service  in  which  he  greatly  excelled; 
and  wholly  forgetful  of  what  he  had  just 
previously  said,  the  full  spirit  of  Universal- 
ism  was  expressed  in  every  petition.  He 
besought  the  Deity  to  be  gracious  to  his  er- 
ring creatures;  to  remit  the  transgressions 
of  the  whole  race  of  man,  of  all  times  and 
all  conditions;  to  send  forth  and  render  effi- 
cacious the  principles  and  oower  of  the  gos- 
pel; to  bless  all  that  were  entrusted  with 
the  message  of  truth  and  salvation,  of  what- 
ever sect  or  name;  to  hasten  the  time  when 
all  darkness  should  be  succeeded  by  light, 
all  error  by  truth,  all  sin  by  holiness,  all  suf- 
fering by  enjoyment — when  Christ  should 
complete  the  work  of  Grace,  and  ''God  be 
all  in  all." 

Nothing  could  be  more  appropriate  than 
this  prayer — nothing,    more    in    accordance 


192  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

with  the  spirit  and  doctrine  of  the  sermon. 
And  as  the  congregation  rOse  to  receive  the 
benediction,  the  speaker  observed — '*My 
Methodist  brother  informed  you  that  he 
should  pray,  simply  as  a  minister,  and  not  in 
fellowship  with  me,  or  my  opinions.  But  I 
have  preached  Universahsm  to  you.  and  he 
has  devoutly  prayed  for  it — and  I  submit  it 
to  you  whether  it  was  in  fellowship  or  not." 
So  striking  w^as  the  coincidence,  and  the 
idle  disclaimer  so  ludicrous,  that  the  congre- 
gation found  great  difficulty  in  suppressing  a 
laugh.  It  need  scarcely  be  added  that  the 
good  Methodist  preacher  betrayed  the  feel- 
ing of  deep  mortification. 

WHERE    TO  FIND  UNBELIEVERS. 

The  reader  has  been  told,  that  in  the  new 
settlements  it  was  found  convenient  to  make 
appointments  for  Lectures  in  all  the  different 
neighborhoods,  that  all  might  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  hearing.  One  of  these  Lectures 
was  to  be  held  at  a  private  house,  several 
miles  from  the  usual  place  of  meeting,  and 
where  the  preacher  was  a  stranger.  The 
snow  was  some  two  feet  deep,  and  the  cold 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES  193 

—such  a  cold  as  comes  but  once  in  a  quarter 
of  a  century.  It  seemed  to  clear  and  deepen 
the  bright  vault  above,  which  when  gazed  up 
into  from  among  the  tall  and  gigantic  tr^es 
that  stood  close  to  the  pathway,  inspired  one 
with  unwonted  awe,  and  awakened  new 
ideas  of  the  magnificence  of  the  Universe. — 
A  fine  pearl-like  frost  dropped  now  and  then 
in  some  supremely  beautiful  form,  as  if  to 
show  the  strange  splendors  of  an  invisible 
world;  and  display  to  mortal  eyes  the  minute- 
ness, and  perfection,  and  variety  of  the 
woi'ks  of  Omnipotence. 

At  length  reaching  a  small  settlement,  and 
judging  from  the  time  spent  in  travelling  that 
this  must  be  the  place — and  especially  ad- 
monished by  the  cold,  that  it  was  certainly 
safe  to  find  a  fire,  a  halt  was  made  at  the 
first  house.  The  door  was  opened  and  a 
chair  offered  before  a  fire  that  would  have 
done  great  honor  to  an  old  English  manor 
house  on  a  Christmas  night — and  two  middle 
aged  ladies,  busy  at  their  work,  made  kind 
inquiries  whether  their  new  guest  had 
frozen  fingers  or  toes,  nose  or  ears.  It  was 
apparent   from   a   discreet  whisper    that  he 

17 


194  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

was  recognized;  a  child  was  sent — some- 
where— and  a  man  about  sixty  years  of  age 
iqUjgediately  entered.  He  offered  his  hand 
guessed  that  the  stranger  was  the  Universai- 
ist  preacher,  congratnlated  himself  on  having 
a  few  minutes  conversation  with  him,  and 
disclaimed  all  ability  or  inclination  to  hold 
controversy  with  a  clergyman. 

This  apology  was  duly  appreciated,  for  it 
was  .quite  apparent,  that  whatever  else  he 
might  mean — he  intended  to  maintain  his 
side  of  the  controversy  by  a  string  of  ques- 
tions. Accordingly,  passage  after  passage 
was  introduced  accompanied  with  a  signifi- 
cant— ''what  can  you  do  with  that?"  At 
length,  having  exhausted  his  vocabulary,  or 
from  some  other  cause,  he  seemed  about  to 
conclude  the  conversation  by  consoling  him- 
self with  the  reflection — "that  if  Universal- 
ism  was  true,  it  would  certainly  find  him  aud 
finally  save  him." 

Universalist — "Yes — but  will  you  ex- 
cuse me  for  telling  where  it  will  find  you?" 

Host — "I  don't  understand  you — it  will 
find  me  I  suppose,  where  it  does  every  body 
else." 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  195 

U. — Not  exactly.  But  as  I  am  a  young- 
man,  I  fear  you  ^vill  be  offended  if  I  .tell  you 
where  you  will  be  found." 

H. — "O,  not  at  all.  And  I  am  anxious  to 
know  what  you  mean.'" 

U. — "Well,  Sir,  our  interview  has  been 
quite  pleasant — I  have  received  both  your 
hospitality  and  courtesy,  and  I  should  be 
sorry  to  give  offence  at  parting.'" 

H. — "Never  fear.  I  promise  not  to  take 
offence." 

U. — ''Very  well — whenever  Universalism 
finds  you,  it  Vvill  find  you  in  Hell!"' 

H.— '-In  Ilell?     How  can  that  be?" 

U. — "Readily  enough.  In  that  case  Uni- 
versalism will  be  true — you  will  be  an  unbe- 
liever— every  unbeliever  is  in  a  state  of  con- 
demnation— and  that  according  to  yourViews 
constitutes  hell.  Of  course,  that  is  the  place 
where  you  will  be  found."' 

Under  other  circumstances  this  might  have 
been  impertinent.  But  during  the  conversa- 
tion he  had  repeatedly  tried  to  be  witty  at 
the  expense  of  charity,  as  well  as  Univer- 
saHsm.  His  guest  therefore  felt  at  liberty 
to  sav  what  in  his  own  view,  was  believed  to 


196  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

be  the  truth — though  it  was  a  construction 
of  the  word  helL  of  which  the  old  gentleman 
was  probably  nnaware.  He  tried  to  keep 
his  promise — hesitated — held  out  his  hand 
■ — responded  very  dryly,  '^good  bye,''  and 
shut  the  door. 

WESTERN  ASSOCIATION. 

The  session  of  the  Western  Association 
for  this  year,  (1817.)  was  held  in  the  village 
of  Nine  Mile  Creek,  Onondaga  Co.,  where 
a  society  had  been  previously  formed.  A 
large  proportion  of  the  ministers  in.  the  State 
were  present;  and  the  reports  of  delegates, 
and  societies  not  represented,  gave  encour- 
aging assurance  that  the  cause  of  truth  was 
progress'ng.  Four  orfivs  new  societies  were 
received  into  fellowship  at  this  session;  and 
one  very  able  and  experienced  minister  had 
established  himself  in  the  vicinity.  The 
Rev.  I.  Root,  already  named,  formerly  and 
for  many  years,  an  Elder  among  the  Baptists 
— a  sound  thinking,  plain  and  hard  working 
man,  removed  from  Maine  and  settled  in 
Mottville,  a  small  village  in  Skeneatles,  in 
the   county   of  Onondaga.     His  talents,   his 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  197 

worth,  his  reputation  and  consequent  influ- 
ence, rendered  him  a  valuable  acquisition. — 
He  was  already  known,  not  only  from  a  pre- 
vious visit,  but  from  the  estimation  in  which 
he  was  held  by  the  Universalists  of  New 
England,  with  w^hom  he  had  ministered  seve- 
ral years. 

The  second  church  owned  by  the  denomi- 
nation in  the  State,  was  now  in  progress  of 
erection  in  the  city  of  Hudson — where  a 
strong  and  energetic  society  had  been  re- 
cently formed.  The  almost  instantaneous 
development  of  liberal  principles,  has  seldom 
been  exhibited  in  a  more  surprising  manner, 
than  in  the  establishment  of  this  society. — 
Only  a  year  previous,  but  one  or  two  individ- 
uals in  the  city  were  known  to  be  Universal- 
ists. By  their  interest  and  influence,  a  lec- 
ture was  held  by  a  visiting  clergyman  in  a 
private  house;  which  was  attended  by  some 
twenty  persons.  A  second  Lecture  was  held 
on  a  subsequent  evening,  in  the  same  place; 
the  notice  of  which,  was  only  circulated 
among  acquaintances.  The  congregation 
was  now  too  large  for  the  place;  and  a  meet- 
ing in  the  Court  House  was  notified.     A  large 

17* 


198  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

and  respectable  auditory  assemble:!;  and  af- 
ter a  few  subsequent  meetings  measures  were 
taken  for  the  support  of  preaching- — a  minis- 
ter employed,  a  sodety  formed,  and  in  little 
more  than  a  year  permanently  established  in 
a  good  church  of  their  own. 

New  societies  and  congregations  were 
thus  springing  up  in  every  direction,  and 
though  often  separated  from  each  other  by 
many  miles,  it  was  natural  to  infer  that  other 
places  in  the  intervening  distances  would  in 
due  time  receive  the  message  of  eternal 
truth.  And  in  many  instances  these  expec- 
tation have  been  realized,  and  thousands,  and 
tens  of  thousands  who  then  ''sat  in  darkness 
— bound  in  affliction  and  iron,"  now  belive 
with  joy  in  the  salvation  of  God. 

There  were  now  between  twenty  and 
thirty  organized  societies  in  the  State,  and 
about  half  as  many  p^vachers.  The  denom-^ 
ination  in  New  England,  had  made  one,  or 
more  attempts  to  sustain  a  periodical  devoted 
to  its  interests,  and  had  failed.  Nothing  of 
the  kmd  had  yet  been  tried  in  New  York. — 
The  only  existing  means  of  making  an  im- 
pression on  the  public  mind,  and   of  advanc- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  199 

ing  the  cause  of  truth  was  therefore  limited 
to  the  exert'ons  of  less  than  twenty  minis- 
ters, aided  by  their  respective  congregations. 
But  by  far  the  greater  number  of  societies 
were  feeble — the  preachers  had  not  the  leis- 
ure, nor  always  the  ability,  to  prepare  such 
articles  for  publication  as  the  situation  of  af- 
fairs demanded;  and  it  was  hazardous  for 
poor  men  to  publish  on  their  own  responsi- 
bility, what  after  all,  might  prove  detrimen- 
tal to  their  interests. 

And  yet,  this  was  the  identical  situation 
from  which,  every  member  of  the  denomina- 
tion drew  encouragement.  There  were 
many  reasons  why  they  should  do  so — for 
hopeless  as  it  may  now  seem,  it  was  much 
better  than  it  had  been  at  any  former  period. 
And  the  writer  of  the  Circular  Letter,  which 
accompanied  the  Minutes  of  Association  for 
that  year,  poured  forth  the  feelings  of  his 
heart,  and  expressed  his  anticipations,  in  the 
follow'ng  terms  addressed  to  the  preachers: 
"New  churches  and  societies  have  been 
formed,  and  accessions  to  former  establish- 
lishments  have  been  numerous.  God  is  giv- 
ing   you     many   souls    as     stars   in    your 


200  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

crowns  of  rejoicing,  and  as  seals  to  your 
ministry.  Let  this  service  be,  then,  as  the 
first  ripe  fruits,  consecrated  to  God;  and  re- 
double your  diligence,  that  the  latter  harvest 
may  be  abundantly  plenteous.  You  are  now 
surrounded  by  many  helpers  in  the  Lord.  * 
*  Now  is  the  time  for  you  to  work — for 
the  Lord  is  working.  The  minds  of  the  peo- 
ple are  seriously  ajRected,  and  an  universal 
concern  to  know  the  truth  prevails.  Be  as- 
sured that  the  time  is  drawing  near,  when 
Christ  shall  appear  for  the  final  overthrow 
of  the  empire  of  the  adversary,  and  the 
complete    deliverance  of  the  church." 

A  REVIVAL. 

This  year  (1817)  was  productive  of  one 
event  of  singular  importance  to  the  charac- 
ter of  Universalism.  It  was  the  commence- 
ment in  one  of  the  older  societies,  of  what  is 
denominated  a  revival  of  religion;  and  which 
in  its  progress  extended  far  and  wide  over 
the  denomination.  It  made  its  appearance 
at  a  time,  when  the  fervor  of  similar  excite- 
ments begins  to  decline;  and  it  acquired  new 
subjects  and  rolled  on  with  increasing  power 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  201 

from  year  to  year.  This  extraordinary 
movement  commenced  sometime  in  the 
spring,  in  the  Universahst  society  in  Hamil- 
ton, Madison  County — spread  gradually  over 
the  congregali'^n — went  abroad  and  won  con- 
verts on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left — pro- 
duced astonishment  and  then  consternation 
among  opposing  sects,  at  its  progress;  and 
augmented  the  attendance _  on  the  meetings^, 
for  public  worship  beyond  all  precedent. — 
The  voice  of  fervent  supplication,  the  song 
of  praise  went  up  from  the  dwelhngs  and 
from  the  fields — from  the  hill-side  and  from 
the  valley;  and  whenever  men  met,  what- 
ever else  they  did,  they  talked  of  the  fulness 
and  freeness  of  the  "grace  of  God  that 
bringeth  salvation."  And  the  traveller  as 
he  passed  along  the  highway,  heard  the  sing- 
ing of  hymns,  and  saw  groups  gathered  for 
prayer  and  thanksgiving." 

One  of  the  first  results  of  this  movement 
was  to  silence  the  cavils  of  opposers  respect- 
ing the  religious  feelings  and  susceptibilities 
of  Universalists.  It  had  been  said  from  the 
first  rise  of  Universalism  in  the  country — 
said  with  great   confidence  and  effect — that 


202  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

there  could  be  no  religioji,  no  true  spiritual 
godliness  among  professors  who  were  never 
warmed  into  newness  of  life  by  the  power 
of  a  revival.  And  tliis  was  belived — cer- 
tainly by  the  great  body  of  professors  of 
all  sects,  and  by  thousands  more  who  took 
things  as  they  found  them  in  the  religious 
world.  Indeed,  many  Universalists,  who 
were  still  influenced  by  their  former  habits 
of  thought — though  fully  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  the  doctrine  of  the  restitution, 
wondered,  and  sometimes  rcirretted  that  God 
did  not  favor  his  truth  with  this  special  seal 
of  his  approbation. 

The  influence  of  this  excitement  upon  the 
minds  of  opposers,  and  those  too,  who  had 
the  very  best  opportunities  of  judging  of  its 
identity  Vvdth  all  others  in  its  characteristics, 
will  appear  from  a  single  illustration.  The 
Presbyterian  and  Universalist  societies  re- 
spectively held  their  meetings  for  pubhc  wor- 
ship at  Hamilton  Centre,  on  opposite  sides  of 
the  same  public  square  or  common.  The 
former  occupied  a  church— the  latter,  a 
school  house,  though  constituting  by  far  the 
larger  congregation.     It  was  the  commumoji 


HrSTORICAL  SKETCHES.  203 

of  the  CJniversalist  Society;  and  as  usual  on 
those  occasions,  the  house  was  not  merely 
filled,  but  many  accommodated  themselves  as 
they  best  could,  about  the  door  and  around 
the  building.  The  Eucharist  had  been  ad- 
ministered, and  the  hymn  given  out  with 
which  the  servicer  would  close,  when  a  gen- 
eral movement  at  the  door  drew  the  attention 
of  the  conorreo^ation.  As  soon  as  room  could 
be  made,  the  Presbyterian  minister,  the  Elders 
and  a  majority  of  the  members  of  that  church 
entered.  All  were  visibly  and  greatly  exci- 
ted, and  it  was  apparent  that  some  unusual 
purpose  was  in  progress  of  developement. — 
But  what  could  that  purpose  be?  Why  had 
that  whole  church,  luiasked,  unlooked  for, 
entered  the  Universalist  meeting  at  such  a 
time  and  under  such  extraordinary  circum- 
stances'? 

The  Presbyterian  minister  saluted  the  Uni- 
versahst  with  great  cordiality,  and  asked 
leave  to  explain  the  cause  of  this  remarka- 
ble visit.  And  with  deep  emotion  he  went 
on  to  say,  in  substance — That  he  and  his 
friends  had  long  observed  with  much  interest, 
the    progress   of  the    revival    among  them; 


204  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

and  had  become  fully  convinced  that  it  was 
a  work  of  the  Lord — That  the  prejudice 
which  they  had  formerly  cherished  against 
Universalists  and  Universalism  had  been 
overcome;  and  that  under  the  influence  of 
these  impressions  and  convictions,  he  had 
that  day,  laid  the  subject  before  his  assem- 
bled church;  and  they  had  resolved  to  give 
this  highest  proof  of  their  cordial  fellowship, 
by  proposing  to  join  in  the  exercises  of  pray- 
er and  praise.  And  such  a  shout  as  went  up 
from  that  congregation  on  this  announce- 
ment,  emphatically  proclaimed  the  accord- 
ance of  all  hearts — ''Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest,  and  on  earth  Peace,  good  will  to- 
wards men." 

And  there  was  peace  that  day,  between 
the  members  of  conflicting  cveeds.  They 
sung  and  prayed  together;  and  mutually  ex- 
horted one  another  to  "love  and  good  works." 
Old  enmities  were  overcome  by  new  friend- 
ships— prejudice  melted  away  before  the  sun- 
light of  charity,  and  mutual  sympathy  and 
mutual  zeal,  inspired  their  devotions  at  the 
altar  of  ts  common  Father  and  God. 

Alas  how  short-lived,  are  many  good  and 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  205 

wise  resolutions.  These  kind-hearted  and 
charitable  Presbyterians  thought  not  of  the 
storm  of  indignation,  which  they  were  call- 
ing down  upon  their  own  heads,  by  this  one 
— this  first,  and  almost  last  act  of  fellowship 
fc .'  Univei'salists.  The  story  went  abroad — 
its  verity  was  scrupulously  ascertained;  and 
the  Presbyterian  authorities  took  early  meas- 
ures to  cool  the  ardor  of  those  charities 
which  could  recognize  Universalists  as  fel- 
low-christians.  The  church  and  the  minis- 
ter were  drily  and  early  admonished  to  stand 
aloof  from  the  matter,  and  by  no  means  to 
continue  the  intercourse  which  thev  had  vol- 
untarily  commenced.  And  both  the  minister 
and  the  church,  found  it  convenient  to  com- 
ply. They  separated  themselves  from  the 
meetings — began  to  wonder  how  they  could 
so  far  forget  themselves  and  their  duty,  as  to 
do,  or  even  think  of  doing,  what  they  had 
done.  And  the  poor  minister  who  had  been 
foremost  in  this  charitable  work,  what  could 
he  do?  . \Vhy,he  became  suddenly  convinced, 
that  he  had  been  entirely  wrong;  and  as  the 
best  apology  of  which  the  case  admitted,  and 
to  fix  the  blame  in  the  r>ht  cuarter — he  con- 

O  I 

18 


206  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

Jessed  that  in  committing  this  outrage  upon  the 
spirit  of  Presbyterianism,  he  was  now  convin- 
ced that  it  must  have  been  by  the  instigation  of 
the  Devil!  However  this  may  have  been, 
there  is  Httle  reason  to  fear  that  the  Devil 
will  ever  tempt  that  denomination  to  perform 
another    similar  act  of  christian  hberality! 

The  UniversaHsts  lost  nothing  by  this 
"wretched  manoeuvering  on  the  part  of  their 
opposers.  For  it  was  top  apparent  to  escape 
public  observation,  that  when  the  Presbyte- 
rian church  presented  itself  in  the  Univer- 
salist  meeting,  it  adopted  the  measure  in 
good  faith.  And  on  the  other  hand,  that 
when  it  disavowed  the  act — that  disavowal 
was  co-erced,  and  dictated  by  a  heartless  and 
despicable  policy.  The  work  however  went 
on — none  the  less  vigorously  and  effectually 
for  their  defection  and  opposition.  Their 
friendship  and  co-opperation  was  but  the 
work  of  a  single  day.  All  that  could  yield 
any  advantage  to  either  party  from  the  ex- 
traordinary step  then  taken,  was  in  favor  of 
the  Universahsts — all  that  followed  was 
against  the  interests  of  the  Presbyterian 
church. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  207 

During  the  progress  of  the  revival,  about 
one  hundred  members  were  added  to  the 
church  in  Hamilton — some  sixty  or  seventy 
of  whom,  received  Baptism  by  immersion. 
What  particular  circumstances  operated  to 
the  general  prevalence  of  this  rite,  is  not 
known;  but  whatever  it  was,  it  threw  its 
influence  far  abroad,  and  many  individuals  in 
different  and  distant  churches,  and  one  or 
more  clergymen  adopted  it  as  a  matter  of 
conscience. 

The  duration  of  this  revival,  is  probably 
without  a  parallel  in  the  country.  It  conti- 
nued with  Itttle  abatement  for  some  four 
years.  Its  first  appearance  was  wholly  in- 
dependent of  any  concerted  effort,  and  there- 
fore entirely  unexpected.  Nothing  could  be 
more  foreign  to  the  general  characteristics 
of  the  denomination  than  excitement.  Nor 
did  it  ever  assume  those  offensive  and  revol- 
ting peculiarities,  for  which  more  modern 
revivals  are  so  remarkable.  The  devotional 
exercises  in  which  its  subjects  engaged,  were 
always  conducted  with  the  utmost  decorum; 
and  the  language  of  exhortation  and  prayer, 
by  whomsoever  spoken,  was  free  from  the 


208  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

outrageous  bombast  and  blasphemous  imper- 
tenance  and  arrogance,  with  which  profes- 
sional revivalists  abuse  men  and  insult  the 
majesty  of  Heaven. 

Fear — whose  influence  is  so  efficacious, 
and  which  mingles  so  fully  in  modern  reli- 
gious excitements  generally,  had  no  part  in 
this  revival.  On  the  contrary,  the  great 
moving  power  was  the  perceptible  and  inex- 
haustible goodness  of  the  Deitj^  This  was 
seen  with  new  eyes,  in  all  its  bearings  upon 
the  nature,  and  condition,  and  destiny  of  man. 
And  its  legitimate  effects  were  visible  in 
more  ardent  expressions  of  gratitude,  in  pu- 
rer devotions  and  higher  aspirations.  It  is 
not  improbable,  that  in  many  instances  the 
passions  were  over-excited,  and  that  individ- 
uals felt  and  uttered  fervors,  which  the 
general  condition  of  man  does  not  permit 
him  to  sustain;  and  which  like  fires  no  longer 
controlled,  soonest  exhaust  the  materials  on 
which  th' y  feed  and  by  which  they  are 
alone  supported. 

And  to  some  extent,  this  was  plainly  the 
case  in  the  present  instaice.  The  excite- 
ment ceased  to  sprei  d — the  fervid  became 
cool — tiic  zealous  inditierent — religious  meet- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  209 

ings  less  interesting,  less  frequent — and  all 
the  wheels  of  the  general  movement  stood 
still.  A  re-action  followed.  Thus  it  ever 
wae — and  thus  it  ever  will  be  with  every 
thing  that  depends  upon  the  passions  and 
sympathies  of  mankind.  The  pendulum  is 
not  more  true  to  its  centre  of  gravity,  than 
human  nature  to  its  level,  and  when  ever 
diverted  from  that  level,  and  by  whatever 
means,  sooner  or  later,  it  will  return. 

It  should  be  remarked  however,  that  those 
w^ho  had  been  the  subjects  of  this  movement, 
had  never  been  frantic.  The  comparative 
coldness  and  indifference  which  succeeded, 
was  not  therefore  the  torpor  of  death;  but 
was  proportionate  to  the  consistency  and  pro- 
priety which  they  had  all  along  preserved. 
And  consequently  while  individuals  lost  their 
zeal,  societies  lost  very  few  of  their  mem- 
bers. The  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel  of 
inimitable  grace,  had  been  kept  constantly  in 
sight — and  under  all  the  flights  of  heated 
passions  and  excited^  feelings,  the  mind  had 
been  employed,  and  continued  to  hold  its 
grasp  upon  everlasting  truth. 

After  the  lapse  of  some  twenty  five  years, 
18* 


210  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

it  is  still  a  question  of  no  easy  solution — 
whether  the  true  and  vital  interests  of  the 
gospel  were  essentially  promoted  by  this 
great  awakening!  That  they  were  generally 
supposed  at  the  time,  to  be  greatly  advanced 
by  this  display  of  unusual  zeal,  cannot  be 
questioned.  But  it  is  more  than  doubtful, 
whether  Universalism  had  at  the  end  of 
seven  years  from  the  first  symptoms  of  re- 
vival, advanced  one  step  beyond  what  it 
would  have  done,  had  that  event  never  hap- 
pened. One  thing  is  certain — the  very  so- 
cieties where  its  influence  was  greatest — 
where  its  most  desirable  results  were  most 
triumphantly  displayed — have  made  little  or 
no  progress  since.  Their  congregations  are 
no  larger — the  number  of  their  communi- 
cants is  no  greater — and  they  are  by  no 
means  more  zealous  or  prosperous,  than  ma- 
ny others  which  never  felt  an  impulse  of  the 
excitement  by  which  they  were  once  moved. 
It  must  not  be  forgotten,  that  this  revival 
came  without  any  preconcerted  effort.  It 
did  indeed  find  many  subjects  prepared  to  go 
forward  in  the  general  movement;  and  who 
doubtlecs  acted  more  or  less,  upon  the  feel- 
ings common  to  similar  excitements  however 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES:  211 

they  may  have  originated.  And  so  far  as 
they  outran  the  ordinary  career  of  the  emo- 
tions— re-action  followed.  For  every  degree 
of  extraordinary  excitement  then  cherished, 
a  corresponding  degree  of  apathy  was  ulti- 
mately experienced.  It  is  fair  to  conclude 
then,  that  as  in  a  succession  of  years,  no 
visible  benefits  have  resulted  from  this  re- 
vival— it  must  be  very  doubtful  policy  to 
attempt  to  move  the  community  to  great 
excitement  in  matters  of  religion. 

FEAR  OF  MORAL  EFFECTS. 

The  session  of  the  Genesee  Branch  Asso- 
ciation, was  held  this  year  (1817)  m  the  vill- 
age of  Buffalo,  and  was  very  well  attended; 
although  no  more  than  four  or  Jive  societies 
were  represented — that  number  being  the 
sum  total  of  our  organized  force  within  a 
hundred  miles.  But  several  of  our  best 
preachers  were  present  and  preached;  and 
the  friends  were  both  gratified  and  encour- 
aged. 

On  the  breaking  up  of  Association,  invit- 
ations were  extended  by  several  gentlemen 
to  the  clergyman  who  would  still  remain 
in  the  country,  to  visit  and  preach  in  their 


^12  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES^. 

respective  neighborhoods.  In  several  of 
these  places,  Universalism  had  never  been 
preached;  and  those  who  requested  the  ap- 
pointments were  not  very  perfectly  acquain- 
ted with  the  doctrine.  The  prevailing  the- 
ology still  lingered  in  their  minds — or  rather, 
its  influences  were  predominant;  and  though 
liberal  themselves,  they  were  not  always  cer- 
tain that  it  would  be  either  prudent  or  safe 
for  the  great  pubhc  to  believe  or  profess  their 
cherished  sentiments.  They  did  not  by  any 
means,  consider  their  own  virtue  and  piety 
at  all  endangered — but  \they  were  persons  of 
established  habits,  and  might  constitute  ex- 
ceptions to  the  supposed  general  rule  under 
possible  circumstances.  Many,  it  was  main- 
tained, v/ould  not  give  the  subject  that  atten- 
tion which  they  had  done,  and  children  and 
youth  might  throw  off  all  restraint  under  the 
hope  of  final  salvation. 

The  following  conversation  will  exhibit  the 
feelings  and  apprehensions  entertained  by 
one  of  these  persons — and  it  may  be  assumed 
without  much  qualification,  that  they  were 
the  same  in  a  majority  of  the  liberal  minded 
men  throughout  that  section  of  the  State. — 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  213 

And  it  is  marvellous,  that  with  such  obstruc- 
tions in  the  minds  of  even  the  friends  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  reconciliation,  its  progress 
should  have  been  so  rapid  and  its  triumphs  so 
complete. 

Gentleman — "I  have  believed  your  doc- 
trine for  twenty  years;  but  have  seldom  said 
any  thing  about  it.  And  I  have  not  heard  a 
sermon  from  one  of  your  preachers  these 
dozen  years  until  your  Association — no  one 
came  along  who  preached  Universahsm." 

PREACHER^-"There  are  few  in  the  coun- 
try who  have  believed  the  doctrine  so  long. 
But  I  can  hardly  conceive  how  any  one  can 
believe  in  so  glorious  a  system  for  twenty 
years,  and  say  nothing  about  it — why,  it 
is  almost  enough  to    make  the  dumb  talk." 

G. — "It  is  really  a  great  and  glorious 
truth;  and  when  I  hear  it  preached,  it  gives 
me  great  consolation.  But  I  have  a  family 
around  me,  and  do  not  wish  to  bias  their 
minds — besides,  1  am  apprehensive  of  the 
consequences.'' 

P. — -''One  would  suppose  that  so  good  a 
trutl  ,  was  nor«c  too  good  for  child^^n.  But 
perhaps  I  do  not  understand  you?" 


214  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

G. — *'The  plain  truth  is — I  am  afraid  of 
the  effects  of  UniversaHsm  on  the  minds  of 
children.  They  need  restraint;  mankind 
generally  need  it;  and  I  do  not  know  but 
the  terrors  of  endless  misery  may  be  of 
use  in  governing  them.  If  none  but  per- 
sons whose  principles  are  established,  whose 
habits  are  formed,  believed  it,  I  should  have 
no  fears.  It  will  not  be  likely  to  injure 
either  of  us^  or  others  of  our  age,  who  have 
good  principles." 

P. — ''Then  you  think  that  Universalism 
is,  on  the  whole,  a  dangerous  doctrine." 

G. — "Yes — that's  my  opinion." 

P. — "But  you  believe  it  to  be  true — that 
it  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible — that  God 
revealed  to  mankind — and  that  Christ  and 
the  Apostles  y^re^c/ie^Z  it  for  their  salvation." 

G. — ''Certaintly,  I  have  no  doubt  of  all 
that;  and  I  rejoice  in  it." 

P. — "This  is  very  strange,  Sir,  that  you 
should  believe  Universalism  to  be  true,  and 
yet  think  that  such  a  truth  would  do  mis- 
chief. Do  you  suppose  that  God  knew 
whether  Universalism  would  do  good  or 
evil,  before  he  revealed  it  to  mankindl" 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  215 

(jr. — "0  yes — He  must  know  what  was 
best." 

P. — ^'Just  so,  I  think.  And  as  the  world 
was  bad  enough  before  the  gospel  was  re- 
vealed, I  cannot  believe  that  the  truth 
tends  to  make  it  worse.  We  have  great 
reason  on  the  contrary,  to  suppose,  that  it 
was  intended  to  make  the  world  better." 

G. — '^That  is  plainly  the  objec* — but  we 
do  not  always  see  it  accomphshed." 

P. — *^Very  true.  But  that  is  not  the 
fault  of  the  gospel.  Those  who  are  not 
made  better  by  it,  are  certainly  no  worse 
for  it;  so  that  it  cannot  be  said  that  it  has 
corrupted  them."    "^ 

G. — "That's  a  new  idea — I  have  not 
thought  of  that — but  it  is  true." 

P. — -'We]!-— whether  new  or  old,  the  his- 
tory of  mankind  shows  that  it  is  true.  You 
admit  that  it  does  not  make  us  any  worse — 
have  you  really  any  evidence  that  it  makes 
others  Vv^orse?" 

G. — "I  cannot  say  that  I  have.  But  I  have 
my  fears  for  the  young,  the  thoughtless  and 
wicked." 

P. — "But  you  have  not  seen  the  influence 


216  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

of  Uiiiversdism  tried  upon  such  persons;  and  I 
regard  sli  such  fears  as  groundless  until  they 
are  sustained  by  tangible  facts.  Besides, 
you  have  admitted  that  God  revealed,  and 
that  Christ  and  the  Apostles  preached  Uni- 
versalism.  Can  you  seriously  believe,  that 
they  did  all  this,  and  at  the  same  time  did  not 
knoM^,  or  were  entirely  mistaken  about  the 
results]" 

G. — -'O,  that  is  impossible.  God  is  good, 
and  Christ  v^as  good;  and  what  one  revealed 
and  the  other  pieached  must  be  good — and 
good  for  those  who  believe  it." 

P. — "Well — what  is  good  for  us  in  this 
case,  must  be  good  for  .your  children.  De- 
pend upon  it — it  will  do  your  ch  Idren  and  all 
others  just  as  much  good  to  "love  God  and 
keep  his  commandments,"  as  it  will  us.  This, 
Universalism  teaches,  and  therefore  cannot 
hurt  them." 

G. — "How  strange  it  is,  that  I  should 
never  have  thought  of  all  this  before!  1  must 
have  derived  my  fears  from  the  prejudices 
of  others.  And  it  will  be  agreat  relief  to  feel 
that  the  truth  will  do  no  injury  to  morals." 

P. — "And  quite  as  great  relief  probably. 


m 

HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  217 


to  learn  that  morality  never  requires  the  aid 
of  falsehood." 

THE  DISTILLERY. 

This  is  an  offensive  word,  and  brings  with 
it  by  association,  a  view  of  all  the  miseries 
and  degradation  of  which  intoxication,  has 
been  directly  or  indirectly  the  r)rocuring 
cause.  But  time  was,  when  very  few  if 
any,  even  of  the  wise,  and  good,  and  philan- 
thropic, took  this  view  of  the  subject.  Long 
since  the  period  here  referred  to — .10  man 
suffered  in  reputation  because  he  was  a  dis- 
tiller; nor  did  one  probably  of  all  the  number, 
entertain  any  adequate  idc-as  of  the  injury 
which  he  was  inflicting  upon  public  morals 
and  public  happiness.  It  was  regarded  as  a 
legitimate  and  profitable  business;  and  it  ac- 
cordingly found  many  adventurers.  Few 
however  attempted  its  justification,  when 
once  aroused  to  a  sense  of  the  evils  it  brouoht 
down  upon  community;  and  when  naked  in- 
terest became  the  only  plea  for  its  continu- 
ance. But  interest  has  been  put  to  shame, 
by  the  evidence  that  in  a  country  like  our 
own,  every  man  may,  if  he  w^ill — employ  his 

19 


218  HISTORICAL  SKETCHE!?. 

capital,  his  industry,  and  his  talents,  in  some 
other  manner  more  honorable  and  equally 
profitable  to  himself;  and  more  useful — or  at 
least,  less  hurtful,  to  his  species.  At  all 
events,  human  nature  has  been  elevated 
and  human  happiness  greatly  advanced,  by 
the  establishment  and  progress  of  the  cause 
of  temperance.  It  has  already  wrought  a 
reformation,  second  only  in  moral  results,  to 
the  beneticient  influences  of  Christianity. — 
And  the  evidence  of  its  many,  and  various, 
and  beneficial  effects,  have  become  so  mani- 
fest, and  taken  such  strong  hold  upon  the 
public  mind,  that  it  requires  some  degree  of 
hardihood  either  to  make,  or  vend  intoxicat- 
ing liquors. 

An  appointment  had  been  made  for  a  Uni- 
versalist  meeting  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
State  line  of  Pennsylvania — and  was  proba- 
bly the  first  meeting  of  the  kind  ever  at- 
tempted in  the  immediate  vicinity.  No  ar- 
rangements were  made  respecting  the  par- 
ticular building  to  be  occupied  for  the  ser- 
Tice.  But  in  the  interval,  the  best  and  most 
commodious  room  in  the  place,  was  secured, 
Tiz:  the   Hall,    or   Ball   Room,    of  a  public 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES  219 

house;  and  notice  was   accordingly  sent  far 
and  wide  among  the  inhabitants. 

The  appointed  day  came,  and  with  it  came 
the  preacher;  but  the  room  could  not  be  so 
occupied.  That  terrible  and  often  fatal  vis- 
itant— the  Typhus  Fever,  was  already  there; 
and  one  or  more  of  its  victims  was  languish- 
ing under  its  withering  power,  in  that  very 
Hall.  What  then  could  be  done?  There 
was  not  another  public  room  in  the  place, 
that  would  accommodate  the  congregation. 
For  the  notice  had  been  general,  and  the 
novelty  of  such  a  meeting,  if  nothing  else, 
rendered  it  morally  certain  that  there  would 
be  a  full  attendance.  The  day  was  waning 
— the  notice  could  not  be  recalled— the  gen- 
tleman who  had  invited  the  appo'ntment  was 
exceedingly  anxious  that  all  should  hear — 
but  where  could  the  congregation  meef? — 
Sometimes  a  neighbor  was  called  in  for 
counsel,  but  none  could  give  any  advice. — 
Nothing  could  be  more  perplexing.  It  was 
within  an  hour  or  two  of  the  time,  when 
the  gentleman  who  had  assumed  all  the  re- 
sponsibility in  the  whole  transaction,  very 
quietly  and  gravely  sat  down,  and  opened  his 
mind — thus; 


220  HISTORICAL  SKETCHEg. 

Gentleman — ''A  thought  has  just  struck 
me,  that  there  is  one  place  at  hand,  which 
will  answer  our  purpose.  But  then — we 
must  have  your  consent  to  go  there." 

Preacher — "My  consent?  I  am  not  aware 
that  it  is  for  me  to  say  where  my  friends 
shall  hold  their  meetings." 

G. — ''That  may  be  true  in  ordinary  cases; 
but  this  is  a  little  extraordinary.  You  are 
a  stranger,  and  in  courtesy — we  wish  your 
opinion  about  the  matter.  For  the  truth  is 
— the  only  room  that  will  hold  us,  is  the  store 
room  in  my  distillery P^ 

P. — "If  that  is  the  only  place  which  will 
answer  the  purpose — and  as  the  congregation 
know  the  reason  why  it  is  occupied,  I  see  no 
very  serious  objections  to  going  there.  I 
presume  it  is  not  running  now?^^ 

G. — "Yes,  it  is,  and  that  is  not  the  worst 
of  it — matters  are  in  such  a  state  that  we 
can  not  stop  it.  That  is  the  reason  why  we 
particularly  wanted  your  opinion." 

P. — "That  alters  the  case  materially. — 
How  shall  we  get  along  with  the  noise?  and 
shall  we  not  be  liable  to  continued  interrup- 
tions?    I  suppose   nothing  need   be    said   of 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  S21 

preaching  and  making  whiskey  at  the  same 
time  and  in  the  same  placel" 

G — -'O.  we  can  manage  that  well  enough. 
The  store  room  is  overhead,  and  the  door 
into  it  opens  right  from  the  street.  The  work 
will  all  be  below;  and  I  will  take  care  that 
w^e  have  no  noise  or  disturbance.  We  never 
have  any  company  and  drinking  there." 

P. — "But  will  our  opposers  go  there?  Per- 
haps they  may  think  it  very  well  for  Univer- 
salists — quite  in  character;  but  will  they 
think  it  safe  for  themselvesl" 

G. — "Go?  Yes — we  have  half  a  dozen 
sects  here;  and  every  one  will  go  as  freely 
as  if  it  was  a  church." 

P. — "Very  well  then— I  will  preach  any 
where,  if  people  will  go  to  hear.  So  the 
question  is  settled,  as  far  as  I  am  concerned." 

Seats  were  hastily  arranged,  the  room  lit 
up,  the  congregation  assembled;  and  a  most 
orderly  and  quiet  religious  meeting  was  held 
in — a  distillery. 

INDIVIDUAL    INFLUENCE. 

Few  persons  are  aware  of  the  influence 
which  they  either  do,  or  may  exert,  over  the 

19* 


222  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

community  around  them.  The  power  and 
extent  of  that  influence,  will  be  determined 
by  the  position  and  means  of  the  individual; 
and  especially  by  his  capacity  or  tact,  in 
using  them.  An  influence  for  good,  or  for 
evil,  every  one  does,  and  must  exert.  To 
act  upon  others — and  to  be  acted  upon  by 
them,  are  among  the  necessities  of  human 
existence;  and  no  man  ever  lived,  that  did  not 
bear  the  stamp  of  his  associations,  and  who 
did  not  also  impress  more  or  less  of  his  own 
character  and  principles  upon  his  fellow  men. 
For  the  good  and  upright  m.an,  this  truth 
possesses  a  peculiar  value.  He  perceives  in 
the  superior  might  of  virtue  a  "land  of  prom- 
ise" on  which  he  can  fix  his  eyes,  and  see  it 
peopled  in  due  time  with  the  sons  of  God. — 
This  better  influence,  was  nobly  illustrated 
by  an  individual  in  a  small  village  in  Western 
New  York.  He  was  emphatically  a  Uni- 
versalist;  and  his  talents,  his  exertions,  as 
well  as  professions,  were  openly  and  hon- 
estly directed  to  the  advancemet  of  the 
principles  of  his  faith.  And  these  efforts, 
and  their  results  show,  how  much  may  be 
effected  by  one  man,  when  his  enterprise  is 
sanctioned  by  integrity. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES  22S 

On  the  single  invitation  of  this  individual, 
a  Universalist  preacher  made  a  journey  of 
two  hundred  miles,  for  the  purpose  of  bearing 
the  message  of  eternal  truth  to  the  believers 
and  ^'strangers  scattered  abroad;"  and  to 
aid  by  the  humble  means  at  his  command,  in 
the  establishment  of  the  gospel  where  as  yet, 
no  societies  of  the  order  existed.  On  that 
one  individual  therefore,  devolved  the  entire 
responsibility  of  the  enterprise.  And  it  was 
sustained  in  a  manner  w^orthy  of  its  concep- 
tion, and  its  design.  He  acted  up  to  his  re- 
sponsibility— he  secured  a  prior  right  to  the 
occupancy  of  a  convenient  place  of  worship 
— and  he  succeeded  in  inducing  all  parties, 
and  nearly  all  persons  in  the  vicinity,  to  at- 
tend the  meetings.  Opposers  came  because 
they  honored  the  sincerity,  and  respected  the 
integrity  of  the  man — and  those  who  cared 
little  for  religion,  and  less  for  its  peculiar 
form  as  Universalism,  also  came,  chiefly  for 
his  gratification. 

This  influence  extended  over  a  large  part 
of  the  three  counties,  as  the  three  western 
ones  in  the  State  were  then  technically 
called;  and  the  preacher  often  experienced 


224  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

ihc  kindest  reception  and  most  hospitable 
treatment  m  consequence.  Houses  were 
opened,  and  congregations  assembled,  and 
many  persons  condescended  to  be  hearers, 
because  it  was  known  that  the  preacher  was 
countenanced,  and  patronized,  and  recom- 
mended, by  a  certain  individual.  There 
never  could  be  any  reasonable  doubt,  that 
this  wide-spread  influence  was  the  true  se- 
cret of  innumerable  civilities  bestowed  on  the 
herald  of  Universalism;  and  that  the  atten- 
tions and  hospitalities  bestowed  on  him — 
were  in  many  instances,  but  substantial  and 
manly  compliments  to  another  man.  It  is 
forever  impossible  to  estimate  the  difference 
in  the  condition  of  the  preacher  under  these 
circumstances,  from  what  it  must  have  been, 
had  he  been  left — as  he  sometimes  was,  to 
make  his  way  unaided  and  alone.  Nor  could 
that  influence  be  less  valuable,  in  diffusing 
over  the  public  mind,  the  knowledge  and  the 
power  of  the  doctrine  of  Universal  Salva- 
tion. 

It  is  from  such  instances  of  personal  influ- 
ence, that  we  discover  the  grounds  on  which 
a    few   individuals    would    have   preserved 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  225 

**The  cities  of  the  Plain,"  from  destruction. 
It  is  not  their  mere  personal  worth — but  its 
power;  which  diiTuses  over  kindred  man  its 
own  benificent  spirit,  and  inspires  him  with 
the  same  godlike  principles!  Let  every  Uni- 
versalist  so  live,  and  persevere  in  endeavors 
to  advance  the  cause  of  divine  truth;  and 
many  hearts  that  now  feel  the  anguish  and 
the  terrors  of  a  gloomy  and  revolting  the- 
ology, will  be  made  to  rejoice  ^'with  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory." 

REBUKE. 

Few  things  have  so  obvious  and  certain 
tendency  to  rectify  the  mistakes  of  bigotry, 
as  direct  and  stern  rebuke.  Bigots  and  fa- 
natics are  not  in  a  situation  to  hear,  or  under- 
stand arguments;  and  scripture  evidence  will 
have  no  weight  with  them,  because  they  sup- 
pose it  balanced  or  neutralized  by  passages 
used  to  sustain  their  ovv^n  favorite  theory. — 
To  adopt  their  own  method  of  conti'adicting 
— to  make  assertion  only,  without  proof,  nei- 
ther convinces  nor  conciliates;  but  on  the 
contrary,  while  it  irritates  and  provokes — 
confirms  them  in  the  belief  that  vou   neither 


226  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

have  arguments,  nor  proofs,  in  support  of 
your  opinions.  Their  self-confidence  grows 
with  every  instance  of  condescension  which 
you  make  to  their  prejudices,  beyond  the 
mere  admission  of  their  perfect  sincerity; 
and  shght  concessions  to  their  judgment 
where  they  may  happen  to  be  correct,  will 
most  certainly  be  construed  into  an  abandon- 
ment of  your  principles.  So  again,  if  j^ou 
chance  to  agree  in  some  unimportant  partic- 
ular, with  any  disreputable  and  obnoxious 
class — you  w411  be  instantly  identified  with  it; 
and  the  trumpet  blowai  for  the  grave  purpose 
of  announcing  what  no  one  believes.  You 
cannot  treat  their  illiberality  or  ignorance 
with  silent  contempt;  for  it  will  be  mistaken 
for  proof  that  you  have  nothing  to  say.  Nor 
can  you  "return  railing  for  railing" — or  so 
much  as  express,  much  less  feel,  the  indigna- 
tion and  venom  which  they  seldom  fail  to  be- 
tray, and  take  no  pains  to  conceal. — What 
remains  then,  but  to  "rebuke  them  sharply." 
A  Universalist  clergyman  was  invited  by 
a  friend  to  accompany  him  in  a  call  at  the 
house  of  a  widow  ladv — who  had  recently 
read  several  works  on  the  restitution,  and  had 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  227 


k 


expressed  a  desire  to  converse  respecting  the 
meaning  of  a  few  passages  of  scriptures. — 
The  call  was  accordingly  made — one  or  two 
gentlemen  boarders  and  a  small  bo}',  consti- 
tuted the  only  visible  company;  and  the  con- 
versation was  at  once  directed  to  the  subject 
of  religion.  The  passages  which  had  per- 
plexed the  mind  of  the  good  lady,  were  intro- 
duced and  carefully  considered;  and  it  was 
apparent,  that  though  she  could  not,  and  did 
not,  profess  to  be  a  Universalist,  still,  she 
took  a  deep  interest  in  the  religious  views  of 
that  class  of  christians.  She  made  many  in- 
quiries respecting  the  progress  of  the  doc- 
trine of  the  reconciliation,  and  the  consequent 
encouragement  of  its  friends;  and  expressed 
much  satisfaction,  that  a  more  beneficent 
system  of  religion  was  throwing  its  influen- 
ces over  society. 

At  this  moment,  a  lady  who  had  been  re- 
clining on  a  closely  curtained  bed  in  a  corner 
of  the  room,  and  who  till  that  instant  had 
not  been  observed — rose  and  looking  fiercely 
at  the  preacher,  said — "5'zV,  if  I  believed  as 
you  do,  I  icould  kill  myself  and  child  before 
morning.'^     This  was  a  common  bravadoism; 


228  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

and  supposed  by  fanatics  of  "more  zeal  than 
knowledge,*'  to  be  quite  sufficient  to  confound 
any    Universalist.     Nothing   could   be  more 
unexpected,  than   the  sudden  appearance  of 
this  lady;  and    nothing    more    expressive  of 
determination,   than  her   language.      There 
she  stood,  erect   and   firm  as  a  statue — her 
sharp  and  dark  eyes  fixed  in  a  look  of  utter 
defiance,  full  upon  the  face   of  the  preacher. 
He  was   really    taken  by   surprise;  but   re- 
turned the  determined  look  of  the  assailant,^ 
and    calmly   asked   in    true   Yankee  style — • 
"Pray,  Ma'am,  what  would  you  do  that  for]" 
She  had  evidently  matured  the  subject  in. 
her  own   mind,  and   arranged   her  language 
accordingly,  before  making  her  appearance; 
and  her  answer  was  prompt  and  decided,  as 
well   as    significant  of  conscious  triumph. — 
"What  would  I  do  it  for? — To  c^et  to  Heaven 
as  soon  as  possible!"     It  would  be  difficult  to 
describe    the  look   of  malicious  satisfaction, 
"with  which  she  now  for  the  first  time  turned 
her  eyes  upon  the   other  guests;  and  then 
again   fixed   them  upon  the   preacher.     He 
again  returned  her  look  of  defiance;  and  in 
a  firm  tone,  said  very  distinctly  and  emphat- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  229 

ically — ''Well,  Ma'am,  one  thing  is  certain, 
you  will  never  get  to  Heaven  until  you  man- 
ifest a  better  temper.'' 

This  was  so  obviously  true,  that  the  com- 
pany burst  into  a  laugh.  And  the  abashed 
lady,  who  was  the  widowed  daughter  of 
the  hostess,  dropped  as  suddenly  back  to  her 
hiding  place,  as  she  had  issued  from  it.  She 
uttered  not  another  word,  nor  was  she  again 
visible    while    the    guests   remained. 

It  was  naturally  a  matter  of  some  little 
speculation  between  the  preacher  and  his 
friend — what  the  effect  of  this  rebuff  would 
be  upon  the  mind  of  the  sensitive  and  excited 
female.  This  was  determined  a  few  days  af- 
terwards, by  a  Lecture  held  in  the  village 
by  the  same  preacher.  Among  the  first  who 
entered,  and  who  seemed  to  take  pleasure  in 
the  display  of  an  independent  and  liberal 
spirit,  was  this  identical  woman.  She  lis- 
tened with  marked  attention — came  forward 
and  congratulated  the  speaker — and  was  ev- 
idently cured  of  her  bigotry  by  an  acciden- 
tal rebuke. 


20 


230  rnsToiiiCAL  sketches. 


THE  TEXT. 


Among  the  many  ways  in  which  the  ene- 
mies of  Universahsm,  vented  their  spleen  in 
abortive  attempts  to  display  their  wit — few 
were  more  common  or  popular  than  that  of 
giving  a  text  to  the  preacher  at  the  moment 
he  was  about  to  commence  the  service.  The 
time,  the  manner  and  the  circumstances, 
whatever  might  be  the  pretence — always 
proved  to  the  satisfaction  of  every  mind, 
that  the  motive  was  not  to  elicit  truth,  or  to 
gain  information;  but  to  test  the  ability  of 
the  speaker,  or  disgrace  him  by  a  practical 
joke.  But  prejudice  is  far  more  blind  than 
justice,  and  consequently  seldom  fails  of  go- 
ing wide  of  its  mark.  For  it  seems  rarely, 
if  ever  to  occur  to  our  opponents,  that  the 
texts  which  they  regard  as  the  pillars  of  their 
own  system  and  therefore  sufficient  to  si- 
lence at  once  and  forever  anv  Universalist — 
are  the  very  passages  of  scripture,  with 
which  of  all  others,  the  members  of  that  de- 
nomination are  most  familiar.  Their  situa- 
tion compels  them  to  understand  all  the  pas- 
sages of  that  class. — And  they   have    given 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHKS.  231 

abundant  prool,  that  they  have  examined 
them  and  satisfied  themselves  of  their  im- 
port; and  that  they  are  able  to  answer  any 
inquiries  respecting  them,  and  to  meet  every 
objection  founded  upon  them.  And  yet, 
these  are  the  identical  texts,  which  opposers 
present  over  and  over  again  for  instant  con- 
struction— gravely  supposing  it  would  seem, 
that  Universalists  are  as  ignorant  as  them- 
selves concerning  their  meaning. 

Innnumerable  instances  of  this  imperti- 
nence occurred  during  the  earlier  times  of 
Universalism;  and  much  surprise  has  often 
been  felt  and  exhibited,  that  so  far  from 
giving  any  special  embarrassment  to  the 
preacher,  he  should  be  able  in  this  apparently 
extempore  manner,  to  give  a  most  cleai',  con- 
sistent and  comprehensive  exposition  of  the 
passage.  And  it  is  beyond  all  question,  that 
the  facihty  with  which  these  constructions 
have  beeu  given,  and  the  lucid  manner  in 
which  the  great  doctrine  of  the  restitution 
has  been  sustained  and  vindicated  from  some 
of  these  very  texts — has  had  great  influ- 
ence in  softening  the  prejudices,  and  remov- 
ing objections  from  the  minds  of  opposers. — 


232  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

The  preachers  never  shrunk  from  the  de- 
mands thus  made  upon  them,  though  well 
aware  of  the  indignity  implied  and  intended. 
They  were  in  fact,  compelled  to  pass  this 
ordeal?  Public  opinion  required  it  of  them; 
and  to  decline  it,  would  have  been  to  incur 
the  imputation  of  a  dread  of  results,  or  the 
tacit  acknowledgement  of  an  incapacity  to 
defend  their  opinions.  Besides — these  impu- 
dent and  querulous  opponents,  usually  con- 
stituted but  a  very  small  part  of  the  congre- 
gations which  would  listen  to  the  exposition 
of  a  given  passage;  and  the  preacher  by 
availing  himself  of  his  right  to  explain  the 
circumstances  under  which  the  text  was 
given — mvariably  enlisted  the  sympathies  of 
his  hearers  in  his  favor.  An  amusing  instance 
of  this  whole  proceedure,  occurred  in  1817, 
at  a  Lecture  in  the  village  of  Manlius. 

The  hour  of  service  had  come,and  the  cler- 
gyman with  a  few^  persons  were  waiting  for 
the  arrival  of  others — when  a  stout  and 
clumsy  boy  some  fifteen  years  of  age,  en- 
tered, walked  deliberately  up  to  the  prea- 
cher, and  presented  him  with  a  sHp  of  dirty 
paper.     Not  a  word  was    spoken;  but  the 


KISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  233 

messenger  waited  as  if  expecting  a  reply. — - 
The  contents  of  the  paper  were  first  looked 
over,  and  then  read  aloud  to  all  that  had  as- 
sembled— thus: 

•'Sir,  you  will  oblige  a  number  of  curious 
minds  in  this  village,  by  preaching  this  eve- 
ning from  Ezek.  13:-  19.  Please  inform  the 
bearer  whether  you  will  and  oblige  a — 
Friend.^' 

Preacher — ''Who  wrote  this  noteT' 

Boy— ''Mr.  P ,  Sir." 

Pr. — "And  who  is  Mr.  P. ,  does  any 

one  know  himf 

Gent. — "Mr.  P is  the  Methodist  class 

leader,  and  is  a  respectable  citizen." 

Several  voices. — "What  is  the  text!" 

Pr. — "I  do  not  recollect;  but  will  look." 

Turning  to  the  passage  he  read  aloud — 
"And  will  ye  pollute  me  among  my  people 
for  handfuls  of  barley  and  for  pieces  of  bread, 
to  slay  the  souls  that  should  not  die,  and  to 
save  the  souls  alive  that  should  not  live,  by 
your  lying  to  my  people  that  hear  your  lies." 

Several  voices — "That's  an  insult — I 
would  not  gratify  him — I  w-ould  take  no  no- 
tice of  it." 

20* 


234  HISTORICAL  SKRTCHf^S. 

Pr. — "Never  mind — I  am  not  responsible 
for  the  nnotive;  that  is  his  concern." 

Then    addressing    the    boy — ^-Tell    Mr. 

P that  I    cannot  allow  him  to  judge  by 

hearsay;  but  that  if  he  will    attend,  I  will 
preaeh  from  his  text.     Will  that  answer  do?" 

Boy — "Yes  Sir.     He  will  come." 

Stranger — "He  will  come  and  bring  the 
class  with  him." 

The  preacher  now  applied  himself  to  the 
construction  of  a  discourse  on  the  text.  He 
could  not  but  be  reminded  of  the  text  given 
to  Stephen  Burrows — for  it  was  plain  enough, 
that  it  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  contro- 
versy between  Universalists  and  Limitarians. 
In  a  few  minutes  the  veritable  class  leader 
with  a  number  of  his  church  made  their  ap- 
pearance. The  text  was  given  out;  and 
shown  to  constitute  a  rebuke  of  certain  false 
prophets,  who  denied  that  the  judgments  de- 
nounced by  the  true  prophet  of  God  would 
fall  upon  his  people.  This  was  applied  to 
the  prevailing  orthodoxy  which  maintains 
that  though  sinners  and  deservmg  of  punish- 
ment, believers  will  escape  its  infliction.  And 
it  was  argued  that  the  inculcation  of  such 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.        235 

views,  was  ^'hjing^^  to  God's  people — For  the 
scriptures  distinctly  taught  that  the  Deity 
would  ''by  no  means  clear  the  guilty,"  and 
that  "he  will  render  to  eveiy  man  according 
to  his  works."  This  was  turning  the  tables 
in  a  way  altogether  unlocked  for — the  utmost 
severity  of  the  text  was  enforced  without 
qualification,  and  charged  home  upon  the 
Methodists  as  particularly  obnoxious  to  its 
bearings.  The  congregation  knew  that  the 
Class  Leader  deserved  all  the  severity,  that 
could  be  urged  with  any  show  of  propriety; 
and  the  poor  man  submitted  without  a  mur- 
mur and  with  becoming  humility.  But  he 
never  afterwards,  gave  a  text  to  a  Univer- 
salist  preacher. 

AN    INVESTMENT. 

This  year  (1817)  was  one  of  unparallelled 
scarcity  in  all  the  western  counties  of  New- 
York,  as  well  as  other  parts  of  the  Union. 
The  first  consequence  was — an  exorbitant 
price  on  every  thing  for  the  support  of  man 
or  beast.  It  was  during  this  season,  that  a 
series  of  week  evening  Lectures  following 
.each  .other  at  regular  intervals,   were  kept 


t^36  HISTORICAL    SKETCHES. 

up  in  a  certain  village  for  several  months  in 
succession.  There  were  fev^^  substantial  rea- 
sons for  this,  beyond  the  professed  desire  of 
several  worthy  friends;  and  it  accorded  with 
other  arrangements  of  the  preacher.  But 
on  the  contrary,  there  was  not  the  shadow 
of  probability,  that  the  expenses  which  he 
would  incur,  and  which  he  could  ill  afford, 
would  be  re-embursed  by  his  friends.  In 
full  view  of  these  embarrassing  considera- 
tions, the  appointments  were  determined  on, 
and  persisted  in  under  every  discouragement. 
At  the  conclusion,  the  preacher  realised  what 
he  had  anticipated — and  left  without  receiv- 
ing an  amount  that  would  have  paid  his  fare 
for  a  single  might,  at  the  public  house  where 
his  meetings  were  held. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed,  that  this  statement 
is  intended  as  any  reflection  upon  the  few 
friends  who  attended  the  Lectures.  They 
had  promised  nothing — they  were  not  in  a 
situation  to  do  much,  whatever  might  be 
their  disposition.  For  in  the  present  scar- 
city, villagers — and  especially  those  in  mod- 
erate circumstances,  had  other  immediate 
and  highly  important  uses  for  their  money. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  237 

Years  rolled  away — and  the  inconvenience 
resulting  from  a  long  train  of  entirely  un- 
productive appointments,  had  almost  ceased 
to  be  remembered.  A  society  of  devout 
worshippers  of  the  God  of  the  Patriarchs, 
had  arisen  in  the  place;  and  though  few  of 
its  members  were  in  any  manner  connected 
or  concerned,  with  the  early  propagation  of 
Universalism,  and  knew  little  of  the  sacrifices 
of  the  preacher — still  there  were  those  who 
knew  and  who  remembered  them.  The 
preacher  was  also  remembered.  And  after 
the  lapse  of  seventeen  years,  he  was  invited 
to  visit  and  spend  two  or  three  Sundays  with 
the  Society.  He  did  so — and  received  ex- 
clusive of  the  promised  compensation — a  sum 
more  than  equal  to  the  principal  and  interest 
of  all  that  he  had  expended  in  early  endeav- 
ors to  estabhsh  Universalism  among  them. 
This  wa^  emphatically  gathering  "after  many 
days,''  the  bread  that  had  been  cast  upon  the 
waters,  v.'hether  it  be  regarded  in  a  moral, 
or  a  pecuniary  sense.  For  in  both,  the  in- 
vestment proved  abundantly  productive. 

Unimportant  as   the  above  facts  may   be 
considered  in  themselves — they  are  not  with- 


238  HLSTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

out  their  moral,  and  their  use.  The  preach- 
er of  Universalism,  will  learn  from  them, 
that  he  should  never  despair — that  the  sacri- 
fices which  he  is  sometimes  called  upon  to 
make  to  his  duty  and  his  profession,  are 
loans  to  a  cause,  which  though  he  may  perish 
will  repay  in  full  to  the  common  heirs  of  life 
and  truth. 

ACCESSION    AND    DISAPPOINTMENT. 

The  experience  of  more  than  a  year  and 
a  half,  had  demonstrated  that  there  was 
ample  room  and  encouragement  for  the  la- 
bors of  one  or  two  additional  preachers  of 
Universalism,  in  the  then  three  western  coun- 
ties of  New  York.  Congregations  could  be 
gathered  in  all  the  principal  settlements;  but 
with  the  efforts  of  only  one  individual  little 
permanent  progress  could  be  made,  and  the 
multiplied  demands  for  a  preachers  services 
could  not  be  supplied.  Nearly  two  months 
between  meetings — when  the  whole  number 
of  places  was  included  and  some  300  or  400 
miles  travel  in  the  time,  with  an  average  of 
nearly  one  sermon  each  day — while  it  was 
more  than  any  mere  human  being  could  per- 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  239 

form,  would  make  little  imjDression.  It  was 
therefore  very  desirable  that  one  or  two 
efficient  co-workers  should  enter  this  field  of 
labor;  and  several  unsuccessful  efforts  were 
made  to  attain  that  object.  But  it  was  not 
until  late  in  1817,  that  Mr.  L.  C.  Todd  a 
young  man  known  to  possess  what  were  then 
deemed  superior  advantages,  as  well  as  tal- 
ents, came  as  a  visitor  and  commenced  the 
ministry  of  reconciliation. 

He  preached  to  great  acceptance,  and  was 
becoming  both  useful  and  popular — when  he 
unaccountably  dashed  down  the  high  hopes 
of  his  friends  and  suspended  his  ministry. 
He  had  become  perplexed  and  bewildered 
with  speculations  concerning  the  apparent 
evils  in  the  physical  and  moral  worlds,  which 
he  felt  unable  to  reconcile  with  infinite  good- 
ness. He  could  not  satisfy  himself,  that  it 
was  consistent  with  the  character  of  an  in- 
finitely good  Being,  with  infinite  means  at 
his  disposal,  to  permit  the  existence  of  so 
great  and  manifold  evils.  Without  absolute- 
ly falling  into  the  Manichean  system  pf  two 
eternal  principles,  good  and  evil — he  doubted 
the  infinite  goodness  of  God;  without  belie v- 


240  niSTURICAL  SKETCHES. 

ing  that  evil  was  the  work  of  a  mahgnant 
being — he  hesitated  to  admit  that  it  was 
among  the  possible  combinations  of  the  plan 
of  divine  goodness.  And  he  did,  precisely 
what  every  honest  man  would  do  under  the 
circumstances — he  suspended  his  ministry. 

This  event  was  exceedingly  unpropitious 
to  the  cause  of  Universalism.  Opposers  who 
were  watching  every  movement,  with  keen 
eyes  and  deep  anxiet)^,  seized  upon  it  with 
ferocious  haste  and  satisfaction.  It  was  a 
fund  on  which  they  could  draw  at  pleasure — ' 
and  they  used  it  with  their  utmost  skill,  and 
no  inconsiderable  success.  It  lowered  Uni- 
versalism and  especially  its  preachers  in  pub- 
lic estimation;  and  the  effect  upon  believers 
and  friends,  was  scarcely  less  pernicious. 

After  some  months,  having  overcame  his 
difficulties  and  perplexities,  he  resumed  his 
ministry.  He  had  remained  in  the  midst  of 
the  desolation  which  he  had  wrought — be 
had  seen  with  his  own  eyes  the  prostration 
of  fair  hopes,  and  heard  with  his  own  ears 
the  complaints  and  murmurs  of  those  who 
wished  well  to  him  and  to  the  cause  of  truth. 
But  he  was  now  satisfied  that  even  infinite 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  241 

goodness  might  permit  the  existence  of  great 
but  temporary  evils,  for  wise  and  beneficient 
ends;  and  he  was  desirous  of  proclaiming 
his  convictions.  His  friends  again  rallied 
and  gathered  around  him;  be  became  an  able 
minister;  but  the  confidence  of  the  public 
seems  never  to  have  been  regained.  His 
talents  were  appreciated  and  respected;  but 
he  did  not  receive  that  support,  and  com- 
mand that  influence  to  w^hich  he  was  proba- 
bly entitled.  And  after  struggling  with  his 
new  difficulties  for  a  few  years,  in  a  fit  of 
morbid  excitement  he  renounced  both  his 
principles  and  profession.  He  complained  of 
the  neglect  and  heartlessness  of  those  in 
whom  he  confided — but  he  had  forgotten 
that  he  had  himself,  contributed  to  the  dis- 
trust which  wrought  these  results.  He 
blamed  a  whole  people,  for  faults,  which  if 
they  existed  at  all,  were  only  committed  by 
a  few  individuals.  And  he  not  only  re- 
nounced all  connexion  and  direct  symnathy 
with  Universalists — but  he  denounced  them 
in  a  hasty  pubHcation,  as  unworthy  of  com- 
mon charity,  This  was  too  much  for  his 
own  heart — and  far  beyond  his  own  sober 
21 


242  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

convictions;  and  he  cordially  and  v^oluntarily 
recall -^d  his  language,  expressed  his  regret 
for  the  severities  he  had  used,  and  without 
renewing  his  ministry  returned  to  the  pro- 
fession of  Universalism.  It  is  now  under- 
stood, that  after  many  years,  he  has  again 
entered  upon  the  ministry  of  reconciliation. 

RESULTS. 

The  doctrine  of  Universal  Salvation,  had 
now  been  preached  in  almost  every  accessi- 
ble place  in  Western  New  York,  as  well  as 
in  the  older  parts  of  the  State.  Among  the 
moving  masses  already  settling,  or  the 
swarms  that  were  pouring  in  +o  this  compara- 
tively new  region,  it  was  vain  to  look  for 
any  very  general,  or  uniform  moral  move- 
ment. Social  habits  and  social  affinities,  were 
to  be  formed  anew,  and  under  new  circum- 
stances and  relations.  To  hve,  to  labor,  to 
secure  what  was  deemed  a  comfortable  sub- 
sistence— to  avert,  or  to  endure,  hardships 
and  privations,  were  the  subjects  which  ne- 
cessarily, and  in  many  respects  justly,  en- 
grossed much  attention.  Yet  there  was  a 
degree  of  liberaUty  of  sentiment  often  shown, 


HISTORICAL   SKETCHES.  243 

that  would  probably  have  surprised  those  by 
whom  it  w^as  exhibited,  had  their  former  as- 
sociations exerted  their  accustomed  influence. 
But  they  were  far  removed  from  the  scenes 
of  early  influences  and  prejudices, and  the  par- 
tial dissolution  of  the  ties  and  restraints  under 
which  they  had  formerly  lived  and  acted, 
left  them  to  act  in  accordance  with  their 
new  position — to  think,  to  hear,  and  to  judge 
for  themselves.  It  was  in  this  way  that 
mp'iy  felt  impelled  to  act — at  all  events,  in 
this  manner  they  did  act. 

Members  of  sects  the  most  unlike,  and 
most  opposed  to  Universalism,  attended  the 
meetings  of  that  denomination  in  the  most 
frank  and  open  manner;  and  in  several  in- 
stances opened  their  houses  for  lectures. — 
They  invited  with  a  cordiality  then  unknown 
in  older  communities,  the  preacher  of  Uni- 
versalism to  visit  them — received  and  treat- 
ed him  with  respect  and  kindness;  and  joined 
with  him  in  devotional  exercises  at  their  fire- 
sides, as  well  as  in  the  services  of  public 
worship.  And  this,  certainly  not  because 
they  were  predisposed  to  Universalism — but 
because    they  were  willing  to  know  what  it 


244  HISTORICAL   SKETCHES. 

was,  and   whether   it  was  as  dangerous   as 
some  represented. 

Another  consideration  undoubtedly  exert- 
ed great  influence  in  these  proceedings,  and 
which  should  be  carefully  distinguished  from 
motives  of  genuine  liberality.  The  great 
majority  of  the  population  were  from  New 
England,  and  the  older  parts  of  New  York; 
and  alike  accustomed  to  attend  and  enjoy 
the  regular  Sabbath  worship.  Their  situa- 
tion now  denied  to  them,  these  wonted  priv- 
ileges. Few  places  had  any  regular  meet- 
ings, preachers  were  scarce,  and  even  that 
few,  were  of  conflicting  sects;  and  in  many 
instances,  long  periods  intervened  between 
appointments.  But  the  religious  feeling  was 
more  intensely  active,  from  the  very  difficul- 
ties of  its  gratification.  Many  no  doubt — 
who  had  thought  little  of  the  importance  or 
pleasure  of  pubhc  worship,  when  it  might  be 
attended  without  inconvenience,  now  felt  the 
absence  of  the  privilege  as  among  the  great- 
est of  their  many  privations.  To  feel  that 
their  children  might  -possibly  grow  up  unac- 
customed to  the  quiet  devotion,  the  human- 
izing and  elevating  influences    of  the  public 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  245 

Sunday  worship,  was  painful  beyond  all  other 
trials. 

When  therefore  a  relifi^ious  meetincr  was 
appointed,  it  was  less  a  matter  of  considera- 
tion who  would  preach,  or  to  what  denomina- 
tion he  belonged,  than  that  it  furnished  an 
opportunity  of  attending  church.  It  recalled 
the  scenes  of  a  distant  home,  and  its  thou- 
sand tender  associations — the  decorum  that 
pei'vaded  the  old  church,  so  often  disregarded 
or  transgressed — and  the  moral  influences  or 
rebukes  of  the  preacher.  Curiosity  too, 
when  Universalism  was  to  be  preached,  lent 
its  aid  to  all  other  reasons;  and  often  added 
to  the  number  and  interest  of  the  congrega- 
tion. When  these  several  thins^s  are  taken 
into  consideration,  it  will  be  apparent  that 
there  was  much  more  of  seeming  than  of  ac- 
tual liberality. 

The  results  then,  of  about  two  years  of 
effort,  in  endeavors  to  plant  Universahsm  in 
the  western  extremity  of  New  York — were 
the  organization  of  two  societies  and  the  gather- 
ing of  some  fifteen  congregations  where  no  dis- 
tinct organization  was  attempted.  In  several 
of  the  latter,  societies  would  have  been  form- 

21* 


246  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

ed  without  much  delay,  could  the  meetings 
have  been  continued.  But  that  was  no  longer 
practicable;  and  for  years,  the  places  where 
the  public  ministration  of  Universahsm  was 
known — knew  it  no  more.  To  the  conse- 
quent discouragement  of  friends,  was  added, 
as  might  be  expected,  the  double  diligence  of 
opposers;  and  comparatively  little  was  left 
of  which  to  boast  concerning  the  influence  of 
liberal  Christianity  upon  the  public  mind. 

But  the  germs  of  truth  and  hope  had  been 
planted  deep,  in  many  minds;  and  these, 
whatever  might  come,  could  never  perish. — 
A  work  had  been  fully  accomplished  in  their 
minds  and  hearts,  which  needed  no  repeti- 
tion, except  for  edification.  And  though 
much  was  lost  for  want  of  culture — though 
many  received  no  deep  impressions  and  per- 
haps identified  themselves  with  another  gos- 
pel— still  these  true  believers  continued 
steadfast,  and  sympathized  alone  with  Uni- 
versalists.  And  they  waited  with  patriarchal 
patience,  and  with  the  endurance  which 
strong  hope  inspires,  for  the  renovation  of 
the  ministry  of  eternal  truth.  While  then 
it  is  natural  to   regret,  that   all  the  means  of 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.  247 

progress  were  not  improved,  and  every  ad- 
vantage followed  up  and  pushed  on  to  its 
utmost  limit;  still  these  things  had  been  ac- 
complished— the  field  had  been  opened;  the 
work  had  been  commenced;  the  great  truth 
of  man's  final  salvation  from  sin  and  suffer- 
ing, from  sorrow,  and  from  death,  had  been 
proclaimed;  and  many  had  behoved  to  the 
savinof  of  the  soul.  And  if  the  inveterate 
prejudices  of  some,  had  been  more  deeply 
and  strongly  fixed,  those  of  many  others,  had 
been  rooted  up  and  forever  removed.  The 
fight  of  trnth  had  shone  in  upon  minds  and 
hearts  that  had  long  dwelt  in  the  darkness  of 
doubt  and  despair;  and  mourning  spirits  had 
felt  the  comforts  of  the  hope  that  is  "full  of 
immortafity." 

In  other  and  older  parts  of  the  State,  and 
especially  in  central  New  York,  much  had 
already  been  accompfished;  as  those  who 
could  look  back  a  few  years,  had  every  rea- 
son to  know  and  feel.  The  denominational 
horizon  was  daily  widening  and  clearing,  and 
brightening.  New  societies  were  springing 
into  view,  and  those  already  formed  were 
growing  stronger  and   more  permanent,  as 


248  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

well  as  augmenting  in  number.  And  if  the 
time  had  not  fully  come — it  was  at  hand^ 
when  the  healthful  moral  influences  of  eter- 
nal truth,  were  to  be  triumphantly  exhibited, 
as  well  as  felt  and  enjoyed,  by  those  who 
believed.  Unwilling  as  the  religious  world 
around  might  be,  to  give  place,  or  rank,  to 
the  family  of  Universalists,  it  was  becoming 
evident  that  an  impartial  and  enlightened 
public  would  soon  settle  both  by  an  irrevers- 
able  determination.  What  it  was,  may  be 
inferred  by  the  reader — what  it  is,  he  will 
learn  from  the  fact  that  there  are  now  nearly 
three  hundred  societies  of  the  order  in  this 
great  State — what  it  will  be,  he  will  be  at  no 
loss  to  determine,  when  he  recollects  that  ail 
this  has  been  attained  in  forty  years. 


INDEX. 


PAGE. 

Association,  Western,  germ  of   -  -  -            11 

"           organized    -            -  -  -            12 

"  sessions  of  14,   19,  22,  25,  29,  54,  69,  85> 

«  "      "    115,  148,  196 

«'  Genesee  Branch,    -  -        89,  1C7,  211 

Anecdotes — Foretaste,    -            -  -  -            34 

"          An  Opinion,             -  -  -            65 

"          Liberality  and  Prejudice,  -  -           102 

"          A  Mistake,               -  -  -           105 

**          The  Funeral,           -  -  -          109 

•'          An  Acquaintance,  -  -  -          121 

*'           Incident,       -             -  -  .           164 

*'          The  Lecture,           -  -  -          171 

"           Mixed  Congregation,  -  -           187 

«'           Not  Fellowshipped  -  -  -190 

"           Unbelievers,  where  -  -           192 

"          Fear  of  Moral  Effects,  -  .          211 

*'          The  Distillery,         -  -  -          217 

Accessions,           -            -            -  -  148 

*'        and  d"   ippointment,  -  -          238 

All  Things  to  all  Men,     -            -  -  -          184 


INDEX.  249 

Churches,  organization  of            -            -            -  15 

Chautauque,  -----  178 
Discussion,           _            -            .            .      39, — 46, — 50 

Faith,  profession  of          -            -            -            -  14 

Itinerating,           -----  91 

Introduction,        -----  1G2 

Investment,          -----  235 

Influence,  individual,        ...             -  221 

Library  and  Study,          .            .            >            -  51 

Labour,  new  field  of,        -            -            -            -  158 

"     of  a  day,              -            -            -            -  173 

Library,                -            -            -            -.-  181 

Meeting  House,  in  Nevi^  Hartford,          -            -  130 

"  "  Hudson,  -  -  -  197 
Ministerial  support,          .            -            -              78, — 136 

Ministers,  local    -----  142 

Poor — provision  for,          -            -            -            -  16 

Prospects,             ...            -            .  93 

Preachers,  treatment  of,              -            .            -  128 

*'        Young-,             -            -            -            -  95 

Preacher,  female,              -             -             -             -  31 

Revival,  -              -----  200 

Rebuke,                -----  225 

Results,                ...            -            -  242 

Sermon  among  acquaintance,  -  -  -  79 
Texts,  civen,        -            -            -            -              44,-230 

Test  of  Truth, 75 

Teaching  and  Preaching,              -             -             -  77 

Universaiism,  in  New  York  City,            -            .  5 

"           in  central  New  York,           -             -  8 

**           Western  New  York,            -            -  87 


\ 


BX9933.5.N7S6 

Historical  sketches  and  incidents 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00082  4567 


